


Renegades, Mages and Rogues

by Frazzemrat1



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age Inquisition - Fandom
Genre: Betrayal, F/M, Fluff, Non Canonical, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-09-01 14:03:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 45,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8627371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frazzemrat1/pseuds/Frazzemrat1
Summary: Bianca betrays Varric's trust, and Varric realizes that he doesn't have feelings for her.  But Hawke is there...  Fluff and smut.  Set during Inquisition. I own nothing, Bioware owns all.





	1. Betrayal

This is my first attempt at a fanfic so please bear with me for any mistakes… First, I know this is a little out of order in the beginning, as I know that Varric’s ‘Well Shit’ quest happens after ‘Into the Abyss’. Rating is for future chapters, which I will mark! I own nothing. Bioware owns all.  (Updated for grammatical errors)

 

~*~

  
Varric watched as the hooded dwarf picked up a key from the desk before inserting it into the door at the end of the hall, locking it. He felt his heart sinking to his boots.

“Bianca…” he said, his voice admonishing, hurt and confused. He exchanged glances with the Inquisitor. “You’re the leak? You know what this stuff does to people!”

“When I got the location I went and had a look for myself. I found the red lyrium and I... studied it.” Bianca sounded nervous. “It has the blight, Varric! Do you know what this means?”

“What, that two deadly things combine to become something super-awful?” Varric asked, sarcastically as he glared at Bianca.

“Lyrium is alive, or something like it. The blight doesn’t infect minerals, only animals. I couldn't get any further on my own so I looked for a Grey Warden Mage. Blight and magical expertise in one, right? I found this guy, Larius, he seemed really interested in helping my research. So I gave him a key." Bianca's voice trailed off

“Larius?” Varric’s voice was surprised and doubtful. “He was the Grey Warden we met in Corypheus'... Oh, Shit. I knew something was off about that guy.”  
  
"I didn't realize until you said you found red lyrium at Haven. I came here, and well... Then I went to you.

“You couldn’t have known what would happen, Bianca.” Inquisitor Corwyn said.

Fire flashed in Varric’s amber eyes. “Maferath’s Balls, she didn’t!” He exploded, “I told her exactly how dangerous this shit is.”

“Varric, I was trying to help! And I knew I had to something to fix this!”

“This isn’t one of your machines, Bianca. You can’t just replace a part and expect things to work!”

"No, but I can try, can't I? Or am I supposed to wallow in my mistakes forever, kicking myself, telling stories about what I should have done."

“HA! Like I would tell stories about my own mistakes.” Varric growled.

“Enough, you two!” The blonde elf all but shouted.

Varric suddenly seemed to deflate. “Sorry, Inquisitor.” He took a deep breath, “Bianca, you better get home, before somebody misses you.”

“Varric, I…”

“Just… Go.” He lifted his hand to rub the back of his neck as he shook his head. As Varric turned and started to walk away he heard Bianca tell the Inquisitor, “If he gets killed, I’ll feed you your own eyeballs.”

Varric stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to his ‘girlfriend’. “Bianca Darvi, if I get killed you can feed yourself your own eyeballs. You let this get out and gave Corypheus access to the red lyrium. You put everybody in Thedas in danger. And if you touch one hair on the head of the Inquisitor, you may find yourself in My Bianca’s crosshairs.” With that he turned on his heel and marched stiffly past Iron Bull and Cole, towards the entrance to the hall.

“Ice; creeping, crawling, freezing. Cracking the place inside that loved her.” Cole murmured to Bull.

~*~

  
The Inquisitor lead them back through the gates of Skyhold. Varric had spent the trip back from the Hinterlands quietly seething. Everything that had lead up to this point was his fault. The red lyrium? Wouldn’t have been found but for him and Bartrand, his brother. The explosion at the Chantry that started the Mage rebellion? Anders, who had been a friend. Corypheus himself, reappearing after a thousand years? Hawke, who was Varric’s best friend. The red lyrium getting to the surface and distributed? Bianca, who wouldn’t even know about it if Varric hadn’t wanted her help figuring out what it was. Everything that led to where they all were at right now could be attributed to him and those closest to him.

Varric dismounted his pony and untied his pack from the back of the saddle and handed the beast off to one of the stable boys. As he shouldered his pack he heard a familiar light step behind him and turned sighing. “Hey Hawke. I thought you would have left by now?”

“I leave for Crestwood in the morning” Taking in the defeated way Varric carried himself, a black eyebrow delicately arched. Hawke’s azure eyes flitted around the group, from the Inquisitor to Bull to Cole, before settling back to Varric’s eyes. “What’s happened?”

“Bianca screwed me over. Again.” Varric growled as he moved past her, towards the keep. Hawke fell into step beside him. “She’s the one who leaked the information about the Thaig. I’m sure she didn’t mean for the information to get to Corypheus, but it did.”

As the pair entered the keep, Varric flagged down a servant and asked for a meal to be sent to his room. They turned down a hall and up some stairs. Varric unlocked a door and opened it for Hawke, who entered. It was smaller and more cramped than his rooms at the Hanged Man, but they were comfortable and private. The only thing the room lacked was room for a desk. Varric set Bianca on the chest at the end of the bed and threw his pack in the corner. A fire had already been laid in the hearth. While Varric hung up his duster, Hawke leaned her staff against the wall, her outer mage robes settled over it and plopped into one of the chairs. She held up a bottle she had pulled from inside her robes. “Courtesy of Cabot down in Herald’s Rest. It’s not as bad as the stuff Corff served. Not enough piss, I think.”

Varric chuckled as he took down two cups from his cupboard and handed them to Hawke. She poured the amber whiskey into the glasses just as a knock came from the door. Varric opened the door and took the tray of food from the servant there, thanking them. He set it down on the low table in front of the two chairs. Accepting his cup from Hawke, he sat, saluted her with the cup and took a slow swallow.

“Remember Larius?” Varric rasped, his throat burning a little from the alcohol.

“That creepy, half blighted Warden at Corypheus’ prison, Yes.” Hawke cut a piece of bread and started loading it with meat and cheese.

“I’m not sure how he enters into this yet, but Bianca said he was a mage and interested in helping her with the red stuff. I don’t remember him being a mage.”

“He wasn’t. You’re not going to ask her.” It was a statement, not a question. Hawke knew him better than anybody, even Bianca, it seemed.

“Hell no.”

Varric sipped his whiskey and watched Hawke eat, a scene that had played out in the past thousands of times. Usually after a mission, Hawke would come to the Hanged Man. They would drink and relax downstairs; sometimes quiet, sometimes loud and rowdy. They’d usually stay until Norah shooed them upstairs, where they would continue drinking in front of his fire, until they eventually passed out on his bed. Varric smiled, thinking about how many times he’d woken to Hawke snoring and drooling on his pillow.

“Copper for your thoughts.” Hawke suddenly said.

Varric glanced over to her. Her lips turned up in an amused smirk. “Oh, they’re worth a sovereign, easily.” Varric found himself smiling back.

“I’d give you a silver, at most.” She responded, the words tumbling off her tongue as easily as water through a worn riverbed. These were words they’d exchanged enough times to make them a private joke.

Varric chuckled, his eyes held hers. “Should have stuck with a copper. I was just thinking about Kirkwall. Unwinding after a mission.

Hawke pursed her lips, “You mean after running another errand for somebody who was too lazy or afraid to solve their own problems.”

“Yea, but we made a lot of coin doing it.”

Hawke lifted her glass to Varric, who touched his to hers. “True story.” She tossed her drink back and held out her glass for another, which Varric refilled. She suddenly started snickering, “Remember that guy who followed Isabela around and kept using those horrible metaphors to describe her? What ever happened to him?”

“I saved his life. Paid him to leave before Isabela put one of those knives in his gut.” Varric grinned.

Hawke laughed, as Varric started into another story from the Hanged Man. They continued drinking, exchanging stories back and forth, some they both knew others they didn’t. As they’d talked, they’d finished eating, removed the tray and moved to the floor to play cards at the table. Boots had been kicked off, sleeves rolled up as they had gotten more comfortable. After finishing the bottle Hawke had brought, Varric had produced another from his cupboard. He’d wobbled enough when he retrieved it, that Hawke giggled at him, making him snicker back. He’d collapsed on the floor next to her, popped the bottle and poured her another drink as she giggled.

They lapsed into companionable silence, as Hawke leaned into his side. She continued to giggle intermittently as thoughts apparently flitted through her head. Varric smiled as he put his arm around her.  Lucky for them in this position, she was short for a human, still taller than he was, but shorter than most.  It had been a long time since they’d been able to just sit back and relax with each other. Varric snorted to himself. It’d been a long time since he’d been able to relax at all. 

First everything following Anders' explosion. Kirkwall had been chaotic, and the first priority for Varric had been getting Hawke out of it. All of her friends knew that there would be an exalted march at the most, an inquiry at least. They’d packed a protesting Hawke up with Isabela and who sailed them away. True to predictions, the Seeker had shown up to look for Hawke only three weeks later. They’d snatched Varric off the street and had interrogated him for a week. They let him go, but he suspected it was only to see if he was going to lead them to Hawke (like he had that kind of nug-shit for brains).

Finally, a week later, they’d hauled him out of the Hanged Man and put him on a boat as well. The Seeker told him she was bringing him to the Conclave, to tell Marian Hawke’s side of the story. It would have to be him, since they couldn’t find her. He’d been lucky; they hadn’t been smart enough to notice the coded message from Hawke on his table, and the one he was composing back to her.

As they’d landed in Ferelden the Seeker and her companion had gotten word that the conclave had blown up and a huge hole that spewed demons was seared across the sky. Before he’d known it, he was fully ensconced in the Inquisition, helping his former captors and a young elf who was handy with a bow. She seemed to be their only hope, as she’d been marked with… well, something. It wasn’t too long before they’d fought Corypheus and found themselves at Skyhold. It had felt like one thing after another.

As Varric thought back over the events of the last half year (had it been only that?) he felt Hawke slowly slump against him. He realized that her breathing had gone deep and even. Smiling, Varric put his glass on the table. He took Hawke’s glass from her limp fingers and nudged her up higher on his shoulder. He looked at her, sleeping on him and leaned in to kiss her temple. Sure, they’d hugged, even held each other while passed out, but only after she’d passed out first could he show his affection for her, afraid she wouldn’t feel the same as him. She was The Champion (capital letters). He was just her biographer and best friend; a dwarf. Slowly, Varric turned her in his arms and scooped her up. Carefully, he pulled back the blankets and placed her in the bed, tucking her in.

Varric surveyed the room, blew out the candles and decided that everything else could wait to be put away. He went to the other side of the bed and curled up next to Hawke. It had felt like everything in the last six months had been done at a sprint, and then suddenly Hawke had shown up. Sure, he’d asked her, but as soon as he’d seen her, heard her laughter, he’d felt the knots in his shoulders loosen. It was like she was a balm that soothed his nerves. That is, until Bianca showed up, and everything went to shit again.

Varric sighed softly to himself. His reaction to Bianca only confirmed what he had been suspecting for years. Yes, a part of him was excited to see her, but that part of him was crushed when he realized what she’d done. How had Cole put it? Cold… the cold had killed and cracked that flame, which was sputtering anyway, and it was time to move on.

“Good Night, Marian.” He whispered, closing his eyes.

“Mmf Varric hmm” she mumbled back.

 

~*~

  
Varric woke the next morning, blinking. He frowned a little when he realized he was alone. Sitting up, he noticed a glass of water on his bedside table, a sheet of paper laying behind it. Varric could see Hawke’s familiar scrawl on the page. Varric reached for the glass and then the page, sipping while he read.

_Varric,_

_Thanks for the bed last night. Much more comfortable and warmer than the cots down in the barracks. I know you, don’t over think the situation with Bianca. And Andraste's Ass, don't shoot her. Maker knows, its hard, and I'm holding back, not doing it myself.  I hope I can find Warden Stroud without problems. I haven’t heard from him in ages, he just suddenly dropped off the face of Thedas. I’ll see you in Crestwood._

_MH_

Varric chuckled and got up to use his water closet, washed his face and started getting dressed for the day. Once presentable, he went to the Great Hall and filled a plate at the side board. One thing he missed when he was in the field with Corwyn was fresh hot food. He’d learned that the elf couldn’t cook. He didn’t much like to cook, but was capable. Bull and Dorian, surprisingly, could cook camp meals pretty well.

Varric made his way to ‘his’ table and sat down. He pulled a piece of paper over and quickly scratched out a note to send to Rivaini. He wanted somebody he trusted kept in the loop regarding where Hawke was, and where she was headed. The pirate would disseminate the information to Broody, Daisy, Avaline, Junior, and Choirboy up in Starkhaven. Blondie, of course, was no longer receiving mail.

Once he was done with that he sealed the paper and set it aside to bring up to Leliana and send out by bird. Convenient having that around, especially now that he didn’t need to keep Hawke secret. As soon as he’d finished sealing it, a shadow fell over him.

Varric looked up into the concerned face of the Inquisitor. "What can I do for you, your Inquizitorialness?"

"Did Hawke go?"

"Yea. She should be in Crestwood in two or three days."

"Everything ok with Bianca?"

"I'm glad to have answers, but... shit. The second she showed up here I knew. I just... I let this mess happen. I gave her the thaig. And I am not good at dealing with shit like this." Varric said, his good mood from last night souring.

"Nobody is." Corwyn didn't seem to notice.

"If Cassandra hadn't dragged me here, I'd be in Kirkwall right now, pretending none of this was happening."

"You know that's not true. You've worked as hard as any of us to stop Corypheus." The Inquisitor looked concerned now.

"Is that true? I don't even know anymore. Thank you for your help back there." Varric wiped his face with his hand.

"After all this, do you think you'll see Bianca again?" The Inquisitor asked.

"Maker, could you, after all that?"

"Probably not." A small smile on the elf's lips. "Be ready to go in three days."

"Whenever you're ready."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at a fanfic that I'm actually sharing. Please let me know what you think!!


	2. The Grey Wardens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The inquisition meets Hawke and Stroud in Crestwood. The events at Adamant follow...

The next few days flew by for Varric. That morning he woke and quickly dressed in the newest set of armor the Inquisitor had given him, and pulled his duster on over that. Bianca settled between his shoulders on his back, a comfortable and welcome weight. He made one last check of his pack and his bolt quiver before he left his room. The party the Inquisitor had chosen gathered in the courtyard. The Iron Bull stood next to his large draft horse chatting with Dorian.

Varric went to his own mount, a tall pony, just right in size for a man of his height. He fed the pony a piece of apple, purposefully left over from the dwarf’s breakfast. Varric really didn’t have much experience with horses, but so far he seemed to get along with the beast. He loaded his pack and walked over to Bull and Dorian, while they waited for the Inquisitor.

Bull perked up when he saw the dwarf, “Hey Varric, did you get that thing I asked about?”

“It should be here the next time we get back. Not easy to find, by the way.”

“How do you guys live without this stuff?” The Iron Bull’s eyebrow lifted in shock.

“I don’t see what the deal is, honestly, but different tastes.”

“Now I just need some hot milk and some of those Orlesian guimoauves to put in it.”

“Hey, whatever you do with this ‘cocoa’ is up to you. I don’t need to hear about it.” Varric shuddered and started to move back towards his pony. Suddenly, he heard Iron Bull give a long slow intake of breath. Not a gasp, almost the opposite, like a sigh. Varric turned and saw Inquisitor Corwyn coming down the stairs from the keep. Varric shocked himself by not grinning, but he turned to look back at Iron Bull. The big qunari was already turning to his giant horse, and Varric wondered if he’d imagined it.

The party mounted up and in no time was on their way across the stone bridge from Skyhold. Mounted, it took them a couple days to get up to Crestwood. They arrived during a cold, dark, drenching rain. They found the forward camp and Varric was surprised to see the normally chipper Scout Harding looking more like a drowned rat than a dwarf. Of course, he couldn’t blame her much. They all dismounted and waited while Corwyn consulted with Harding about the area. Varric stood, the collar of his duster pulled up as high as he could get it. Good thing it was a little oversized, so he could keep most of the wet off Bianca. As it was, it might be a good idea to oil her every night until the rain stopped. At this point, he couldn’t wait for them to set out and find Hawke.

 

~*~

 

It took them three more days before they walked up a hill towards the cave where Hawke was waiting. In that time, they’d fought a castle full of bandits, drained a lake, and closed a rift in the bottom of said lake. At least once they’d taken the castle they’d been able to claim it for the Inquisition and have warm dry beds and hot meals. Miraculously once they’d closed the rift in the lake, the rain had stopped. It worked really well, dramatically, but Varric didn’t want to think about how a tear in the fade could affect the weather.

The cave had a wooden gate, or door, across it. Painted on the door was a white skull wearing a red bandana across its eyes. Before that was a lone figure, lithe and slender, sitting on a large stone, a staff across her knees. Hawke slid off the rock, as they approached. She sent a warm smile to Varric before clasping the hand of the Inquisitor.

"Glad you made it.  I just got here myself.  My contact with the Wardens should be at the back of the cave." Hawke told them, before leading them inside.

Varric watched Hawke as Warden Stroud talked to the young women about the Wardens and Corypheus. He could see Hawke getting angrier and more animated. Not at Stroud, but the whole situation was shit. Before long it was time to go. Hawke and Stroud were going to meet them at an old Warden outpost in the Western Approach. Lucky for him, Hawke planned on staying with them in the castle before leaving in the morning with Stroud.

As the group walked across the fields, Hawke and Varric walked side by side talking and laughing.  Varric was very aware how close Hawke was walking to him, her hand almost touching his with each swing.  Of how her eyes shined with mischief. A part of him wondered if she was aware of how close they were physically. Another part of him was terrified that she was aware. 

Varric hadn’t realized how far behind they’d lagged behind until a shout caught both of their attention.  The Inquisitor had stumbled over a rift in an abandoned farm field.  Demons, walking dead, and even a dark spawn emissary had appeared.  As they ran to catch up, Hawke pulled her staff and called a fireball storm to rain down on the field of battle.  Instantly Bianca was in Varric's hands, singing as he launched bolt after bolt into the fray.  

As a shade fell Varric shouted out, "Another one for me!  How many have you got, Hawke?!"  Bianca was magic in his hands, and fighting beside Hawke felt right and comfortable, like pulling on an old glove. He knew without looking that Hawke would be forward of him, towards the rift, and a little to the left. She’d always trusted him to watch her back, and they fell into their normal battlefield routine easily.

He looked across the field, scanning for another target he saw a green glow begin behind Hawke.  A terror demon popped out of the ground behind her, throwing the mage down.  Snarling, Varric brought Bianca around and rapid fired three shots right into the thing's face.  He ran forward, releasing Bianca's bayonnet.  "Bianca, baby, introduce yourself!" He shouted as he sunk the blade into the demon's gut.  The demon shattered.  Varric spun around to find Hawke on the ground behind him, leftover frost from her spell leaking from her fingers, her eyes wide.  

Varric put Bianca on the ground next to Hawke as he put his hand out to pull Hawke to her feet.  He ran his hands up her arms, spinning her around so he could look her over.  "You alright, Marian?"

"I'm fine, Varric."  She pushed him aside, swinging her staff at another demon that was coming for his back. He pushed down his feelings and snatched Bianca up again, and resumed picking off targets.  

Suddenly there were no more enemies.  Corwyn stepped forward, she held her hand with the anchor toward the rift, closing it.  The blonde elf sunk to her knees.  Dirt and blood mixed on her chest, where she'd caught a magic blast from the emissary.  The Iron Bull stepped forward, a healing potion in his hand.  He uncorked it with his teeth and helped her drink it, leaning her against him.  Dorian also stepped forward, casting a healing spell on her.  The elf looked up, smiling at both men who looked at her with concern in both their eyes.  Bull helped her up, his arm lingering around her shoulders, perhaps a little longer than was necessary, before Corwyn turned and led them towards the castle.

 Varric looked up at Hawke to see if she noticed.  She looked down at him an eyebrow raised.  Varric just smirked. He hid his fear from the battlefield behind that turn of his lips. Yes, he’d been terrified when he’d seen Marian go down. So terrified he’d put Bianca down in the middle of a battle. Thinking back about it sent chills down his spine. Nobody ever recovered from being thrown down by a terror demon right away, but the sight of her on her back with that demon screaming above her… Varric shuddered and pushed the thought away.

 

~*~

 

Varric collected a plate of food and walked to where Hawke sat, staring into the fire, her plate in hand.  He sat down next to her, arms almost touching.  Hawke smiled absently at him as he began eating.  It wasn't as good as what they got at Skyhold, but it wasn't bad for camp food.  He slowly ate, waiting for Hawke to talk.  He knew she would, at some point, but not until she was ready.  Varric sipped his ale and took another bite, willing to wait.  Hawke sighed and Varric smirked.  Here it came...

"Varric, do you miss it?" 

Varric chewed and swallowed.  "It?"

"Kirkwall.”

“Sometimes.

“Think you’ll go back?”

Varric turned and looked at her, his whiskey eyes catching and holding her cerulean ones. He felt as if he was falling into the depths in those eyes. “As soon as all of this is done and the mess cleaned up, I’ll be on the first boat back to the Marches. Doesn’t even matter where the ship lands, I’ll get myself back to Kirkwall.” His words said ‘Kirkwall’. He knew his eyes said ‘You’.

Varric put his mostly empty plate down in front of him and put his arm around her, pulling her in. She leaned towards him and put her head on his shoulder. He placed a chaste kiss in her hair and turned back towards the fire.

For a moment, Varric struggled to keep his breath level and even. He almost kissed her, really kissed her, and he knew she knew. She had to have.  She’d deliberately turned away, accepting his hug, but not his kiss. He felt like he’d been kicked in the teeth, but he refused to show it; show her. He was her best friend, and she was his. She was the hero, and he was the side-kick. Nobody fell in love with their ‘trusty dwarf’.

 

~*~

 

Several weeks later they were in the middle of a siege. They had met Hawke and Stroud in the Western Approach and had discovered what was going on with the Grey Wardens, what Corypheus had manipulated them to do, with the help of his Venatori. The confrontation had ended with several Grey Wardens dead, along with the demons they’d called with blood magic. Unfortunately, the Venatori who was leading the ritual got away, the trail leading to Adamant fortress. The Inquisition War Council had decided it was time to attack and hopefully release the Grey Wardens from Corypheus’ control.

Hawke, Stroud and several scouts had stormed the walls, once they’d been softened a bit by Cullen’s trebuchets. Varric waited with Corwyn, Bull and Dorian as a force of troops moved a battering ram into position. As soon as they had the main gate down, they breached the fortress. Varric had little time to worry about Hawke, while he and Bianca fought demon after demon, and no few Wardens. Before he knew it they’d caught up with Hawke and were entering the central courtyard to face down Warden-Commander Clarel and the venatori mage Erimond. Varric didn’t listen much, as he scanned the battlements for somebody going for either the Inquisitor or Hawke’s backs. He felt like he should have paid a little more attention, because suddenly Erimond ran off, Clarel in hot pursuit while the Inquisition was left fighting demons from a large rift in the courtyard, while a dragon flew around spewing what looked to be red lyrium.

As soon as they demons were cleared, and the rest of the Inquisition army had caught up, Corwyn and the rest chased down Erimond and Clarel. While dodging the dragon, they caught up to the two mages on the walls over the abyss. Just as Clarel knocked out Erimond, the dragon grabbed her. It tossed her like a rag doll and threw her broken body back on the ramparts. As the dragon began stalking them, Clarel blasted it, her last effort in the battle against Corypheus. Unfortunately, the blast caused the walls to collapse, pulling the Inquisitor and her party into the abyss.

 

~*~

 

Hawke woke, and lifted herself from the ground. She shook her head to clear it, instantly regretting the action. The last thing she remembered, they were falling and a bright green light. As she looked around, the only thing she recognized was the greenish hue to everything. With a sinking feeling she started to realize where she was.  It was different than when she'd been in the fade before, completely different.  Except for the green haze.

Once they had regrouped, everyone’s fears were realized. They were in the fade, physically. Varric came to her side, and she placed her hand on his shoulder, taking reassurance from his presence. The dwarf turned, placing one of his large hands over hers and squeezed. A ghost of smile flitted across her lips as she nodded to him, but she knew he could see her fear. He was probably the only one who could, since he knew her so well.

As a group, they decided to move towards a distant green light, which they speculated would be the other side of the rift in the courtyard at Adamant, and a way for them to escape. As they moved, they fought off the occasional demon and shade. Hawke noticed that the Quinari, Iron Bull, stuck by the Inquisitor, obviously guarding her. Occasionally he’d put out a reassuring hand, and it seemed to steady both of them. Maker knew, having Varric close by was a steadying effect for her.

She’d suspected Varric’s interest for years, outside of story fodder, but it had never been the right moment to approach him. That was her excuse anyway. First, the Quinari attack on Kirkwall, then Anders started the mage rebellion, and then she had to leave to avoid the Exhaulted March. Even as she’d been in hiding after Seeker Pentaghast had released him, she knew that he would come to her if she needed him. Now, they were fighting side by side again and she was afraid. What if she was wrong? What if she was right? What if it ruined their friendship by even talking about it? And what if something happened to either of them?

As they rounded a turn, the Inquisitor gasped. Before them stood a woman who looked surprisingly like Divine Justinia.  Hawke suspected it was a demon, but Corwyn addressed it as though it was actually the Divine. The ‘Divine’ told the Inquisitor that her memories needed to be regained by killing the shades that hold her memories. As she did so, some it came back and all were able to see the Divine held captive, and Corwyn receiving the mark.

"So, your mark did not come from Andraste.  It came from the orb Corypheus used in a ritual."  Stroud observed.

The Divine explained how Corypheus planned on ripping open the veil to gain the Black City for his own uses.

“Those were Wardens holding the Divine captive.  Their actions led to her death." Hawke pointed out, to an angry Stroud.

“I assumed he had taken their minds, as you have seen him do before.  Come, we can argue after we escape." Stroud reasonably returned.

They continued through the fade, fighting demons and shades as they went. Suddenly a voice, insidious and slippery, deep and rumbling, filled the air, taunting "Perhaps I should be afraid.  Facing the most powerful members of the Inquisition." It chuckled.  The chuckle was evil, and Hawke doubt any of them didn't have a shiver of cold go down their backs at the sound of it.

"The Quinari will make a lovely host for one of my minions.  Or maybe I will ride his body myself."

"I'd like to see you try." Iron Bull growled under his breath.  The Inquisitor placed a hand on his arm.

"Greetings Dorian.  It is Dorian, isn't it?  For a moment, I mistook you for your father." The voice intoned.

"Rather uncalled for." Dorian returned, sounding chipper and as confident as ever.

“Did you think you mattered, Hawke?  Did you think anything you ever did mattered?  You couldn't even save your city.  How could you expect to strike down a god?  Varric is going to die, just like your family, and everyone you ever cared about.”

“Of course, a fear demon would know where to hurt us most.  We must ignore it.“ Hawke commented.

"You're a failure, and your family died knowing it." The Nightmare added.  

Varric felt surprise that the Nightmare even mentioned his name when it taunted Hawke. Why would the Nightmare mention him?

“Once again, Hawke is in danger because of you, Varric.  You found the red lyrium.  You brought Hawke here...”

“Just keep talking, Smiley” Varric growled.

The nightmare chuckled cruely in reply.  The sensation of ice sliding down his spine made Varric realize that the demon knew.  Somehow it knew about his feelings for Hawke, and she was right.  It knew right where to hit to hurt the most.

"Warden Stroud.  How must it feel to devote your whole life to the Wardens, only to watch them fall?  Or worse, to know that you were responsible for their distruction.  When the next blight comes, will they curse your name?"

"With the Maker's blessing, we will end this wretched beast." Stroud said confidently.

They continued through the fade, fighting demons and gaining back Corwyn's memories.  Finally, they made it to the Nightmare.  They battled it's lesser fear demon and its fearlings, until they could make their way to the fade rift beyond.  Dorian and the Iron Bull jumped through the rift.  Hawke hesitated with Stroud and Corwyn.  The giant spider that was the Nightmare lurched at them, cutting them off.  

"Go! I'll cover your escape!" Hawke shouted.

"No, you were right, the Grey Warden's caused this.  A Grey Warden should fix it." Stroud replied.

"A Warden must help them rebuild!  That's your job.  Corypheus is mine." Hawke replied.

"Andraste's tits, Hawke!"  Varric shouted.

Hawke turned, surprised to find the dwarf still by her side.  She was surprised, but she wasn't.  Varric never willingly left her.  "Varric, I..."

"No!  If you stay, I'm covering your back, like I always do."

"Stroud!!" The Inquisitor shouted, as the Warden took advantage of their distraction to charge off.  "Go, quickly!  Don't let his sacrifice be in vain!!"  The Inquisitor shoved at Hawke, who pushed Varric.

 

~*~

 

Varric fell, ungracefully, to the ground and scrambled to get out of the way of those behind him.  First the Inqusitior jumped through, landing neatly on her feet, with Hawke right behind.  The mage tumbled, and came nimbly to her feet.  She ran to Varric and helped him up, while Corwyn turned and closed the rift.  

Cheering went up around them from the Inquisition soldiers and Grey Wardens.  Hawke, her hand still on Varric's shoulder looked around them.  Varric reached up to her shoulder and pulled her around to him.  "What in Andraste's ass were you doing in there?!" He all but yelled, anger seethed in his eyes.  Anger and fear.

Surprised, Hawke stammered back to him, "I... I was trying to save you and everybody else.  What do you think I was doing?"

"How could you do that to m...  I can't believe you would...  I...." Varric didn't seem to be able to get a coherent thought out around the terror of the idea of living in a world without her in it.  He stared at her a moment, his heart tight and his breathing rapid.

"Varric...?"

"Aw, fuckit." Varric said.  He reached up and pulled Hawke down until her lips met his, his fingers buried in her hair at the nape of her neck.  It was a sweet and tender kiss, and he tried to express all his love and his fear for her in that moment.  When he finally released her, she pulled back a little, looking him in the eye.  She smiled and kissed him again, deeper this time, opening her mouth for him.  Varric growled as his tongue swept inside to slide against hers, his hands cupping her face tenderly.  Slowly, he became aware of the cheering around him.  He made out Bull's and Dorian's voices, close at hand.  Reluctantly, he released Marian, opening his eyes.  She straightened, slower to open her eyes.  When they did open, they met his.  A blush stole across her face.  "I love you, Marian.  I have for years."

"I know."  She smiled at him, her eyes warm as she looked at him.  

A heavy hand smacked Varric on the shoulder, almost knocking him into Hawke.  "Its about time!" Bull laughed.

While they had been occupied with each other, Corwyn had settled the matter of the remaining Grey Wardens, taking them into the Inquisition as allies.  

"What will we do without Stroud?" One Warden soldier asked.  "He was the most senior of us!"

"I will send for my brother, Ser Carver Hawke.  He will help you rebuild."

"As you say, My Lady Champion."  The Warden said.

Varric smiled at Hawke's declaration.  Junior wasn't going to like her assigning him a task, but from what he'd heard from Aveline, the Warden was chafing in his confinement.  He was already formulating the letter he was going to have to send out to them.  Soon, Corwyn gestured to her companions that it was time for them to leave.  She left the rest of her soldiers to help the Wardens clean up the mess and they left Adament for their camp outside the fortress.  As they walked, Varric pulled Hawke close to him, his arm around her waist.  She rested her arm across his shoulders.  Their positions felt very comfortable and natural.  

As they approached camp they came across Cullen, who stared at them.  No doubt he'd heard about their escape from the fade, and perhaps the kiss that followed. Shaking his blonde head, Cullen went to Corwyn to get her initial report.  Varric didn't envy her right now.  If it wasn't for Hawke beside him, he'd be heading for a bath and a bed.  As it was, he mostly just wanted his bed...  If Hawke was going to join him there.  He tugged on her hip to get her attention and tilted his head towards his tent.  

"I like the way you're thinking, but first, I want a bath.  I know I smell of demon guts.  You're not much better, my love."  She moved her hands to his shoulders and pushed him towards his tent.  "Get cleaned up, get dinner for two, and then meet me in my tent."

"My Lady, for you?  Anything."  He bowed chivalrously.  Rising, he took her hand, removed her glove and kissed her fingers.  Once she pointed out the gore on themselves, he became acutely aware of his own smell, let alone the gore on her.

He left her then, got clothing from his tent and then found the latrines to try to bath himself at the pump. The water was freezing, but worth the effort. He returned to his tent to leave his dirty laundry and quickly made his way to the mess tent to order up two meals and a wine skin. Finally he started walking towards Hawke's tent. He rapped the pommel of his knife on the tent post and waited. Two hands reached out and pulled him, all unresisting, in the tent by his lapels. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, obviously I took some conversations from the game, both in this chapter and previous. I've been trying to keep those as true to the conversations as possible, with minor adjustments for situations. I also don't know why they didn't use at least a couple of the lines Varric uses during battle from DA2...  
> Smut next chapter!


	3. He loves her. A lot.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> smut!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So very NSFW!!!

Hawke pulled Varric into her tent, her lips coming down on his as soon as he was inside. She kissed him deeply, eliciting a moan from him. As she tried to press herself closer to him, she realized he held his arms to the side between them, avoiding her body. She grinned, as she remembered asking for him to bring dinner. She let him go so he could put down the food and placed Bianca next to Hawke's staff.

"Maker's breath, Hawke. I hope that's not how you greet every man who brings you food."

"Nope. Only the ones who bring wine with dinner."  Hawke chuckled.  She moved further into the tent and produced two wine glasses.  Varric twisted the seal off the wine skin and poured.  He resealed the skin and put it aside as Hawke lifted her glass in toast.  "To friends.  Those we have, and those we have lost.  To the fallen."

Varric touched his glass to her's before sipping from his.  He watched her, her eyes were sad, and he knew that she was thinking about Stroud.  Possibly even Anders.  In his opinion, Anders deserved what he'd gotten.  Stroud, had been a brave and dedicated Warden.  Varric didn't know him well, having only met him during the Quinari uprising in Kirkwall, but Hawke had kept in contact.  Trying to uplift the mood a little, Varric reached for the pack of food he'd brought.  From inside, he pulled out a cold beef roast, bread and cheese.  It wasn't a hero's feast, as he was sure the Inqusitor was going to be privy to, but it was good and it was hearty.  It also wasn't a lover's meal, but even he couldn't come up with that kind of thing way out in the backside of beyond in a camp.  Producing a knife next, he sliced a piece of beef and held it out to her.  "Its really good.  The cook we bring out on campaigns is secretly a mage.  I swear."

Hawke smirked and took the slice, placing it in her mouth.  It was very good, seasoned and still moist, not dry.  She took a piece of cheese next before settling onto her cot.  She watched him slicing more food so that he could bring a bunch of it over and put on the folding table next to the cot.  He pulled off his boots and put his jacket (not his duster, which was filthy and getting cleaned) on top of them before he also got on the cot, but at the foot.  They ate in silence exchanging warm, sometimes heated glances as they ate.  Hawke seemed determined to tease him with food, as he watched her lick her finger after eating another slice of beef.  Varric sipped his wine, watching as she took her own glass.  She sipped her wine, and he watched her tongue flit out to lick a drop of the red liquid from her lower lip.  

Varric set aside his glass, as he had finished eating already, and leaned forward.  He cupped her chin in his hand and wiped another drip from her lip with his thumb.  Hawke's eyes met his as she bit down on his thumb.  Hard.  "Ow!  Hawke!!" 

"Oh! Sorry, Varric!" Hawke said sweetly, Varric's breathing stopped as he watched her pull his thumb into her mouth.  She sucked slightly in the digit, running her tongue up and down its length, before swirling around the end and letting his hand go.  "All better?"

Varric's breath came out as a groan and he pulled her to him, his mouth finding hers open and eager.  She tasted of the wine they had been drinking, the cheese, and her.  She melted against him and he felt her fingers tangling in his damp hair, pulling out the tie that held it up.  He put his hands on her hips and pulled her into his lap before wrapping his arms around her, stroking her back.  One hand snaked under her shirt to feel her skin under his palm at the same time he felt hers flatten against his chest and stroke his famous hair.  Hawke pulled back slightly and he felt her grin under his lips, which also slipped into a grin.  They leaned back slightly and looked at each other grinning like fools.  "The chest hair..." she purred.  "Wait till I tell Isabela it is as soft as it looks."

"Don't make Rivani jealous, Hawke.  You know she'll just show up and I won't be objectified by you two." 

Hawke chuckled as she pulled him close again.  "Like I'd share." She said against his neck before she started nipping and suckling him there.  Varric growled and pulled her against him again, grinding her hips against his cock.  His hands slipped up her back lifting her shirt as they went.  He disengaged Hawke long enough to pull it over her head before throwing it behind him.  He was gratified to find she had not put on a breast band after she'd washed.  She moaned against his neck when his hand found her breast and began gently kneading it.  Varric leaned forward, pushing her slowly backwards into the cot.  He laid her down and leaned back.  She wasn't completely undone, but she was panting in a most delightful way.

Varric leaned back on his heals and pulled his shirt over his head, discarding it somewhere with Hawke's.  She reached up and stroked her fingers through his chest hair, finding his nipples.  She tweaked them, sending little jolts of pleasure straight to his groin causing him to grind his hardness against her.  Hawke sat up and latched her lips on one while she slipped a hand into his trousers and wrapped her fingers around him.  She stroked him, his breath coming out as a moan, while she licked her way back up his body.  Their lips met, and he frantically kissed her while his hands found her breasts again, kneading and massaging, tweaking and rolling her nipples.  He then pushed her back down and gently pulled her hand from his cock.  "You better stop that if either of us wants this to last, Marian."

He settled back between her thighs and kissed her again.  He worked himself down to her breasts and suckled one into is mouth, gently pinching the other with his hand.  She moaned loudly as he worshiped them, alternating between them.  He slipped a hand down her hip and into her trousers.  He found her nether lips and slipped a finger between them and into her wet folds.  His thumb rubbed up, finding her nub and began stroking it as his fingers slipped inside her.  He leaned back and watched as Hawke's body lifted off the cot as she arched her back, her eyes squeezed shut as she bit her lip to keep from crying out.  Quickly, Varric shucked her trousers and smalls from her.  As he kissed, licked and nibbled his way down her body he was quite satisfied by the way her body trembled and twitched with his touch.  He scrapped his jaw along her hip scraping his stubble and she made a mewling noise that sounded like music to him.

He pushed himself down until her sex was right in front of him with his fingers still inside her.  He looked up her body which was delightfully splayed out, a lovely feast ready to be enjoyed.  Her eyes met his down the expanse of her body, they were dark with desire and anticipation.  Varric held her eyes as he adjusted his hand, inserting another finger inside her and leaned down, dragging his tongue up her slit.  Hawke's head dropped to her pillow, breathy whimpers coming from her as she panted.  Varric went to work, finding her clit and stroking it with his tongue while he stroked his fingers inside her.  He curled them, trying to find that sweet spot inside her while he nibbled and licked her.  

Hawke was falling apart, losing control.  Varric could feel the muscles of her thighs trembling on either side of his head as he licked and stroked her to the finish line.  Suddenly her legs clamped and her back arched again as she tightened around his fingers and screamed out his name.  Giving her one final stroke, he pulled himself up and watched her twitch while he quickly pulled off his trousers and smalls.  He tossed them aside and climbed back up between her legs.  He leaned forward and pulled her into a kiss while he lined himself up.  He left himself there, her slickness torturously surrounding his head as he kissed her.

"Varric...  Ple.." Hawke panted at him.  He interrupted her, rolled his hips forward, sheathing himself inside her.  They both let out low moans at the sensation.  

"Maker, Marian.  You're so tight." Varric ground out as he pulled himself almost out and then pushed back again.  As she wrapped her long legs around his hips, he slipped into a long, slow rythem that teased them both.  He reached down and found her clit again with his thumb.  As soon as he touched the engorged bundle of nerves there, she arched her hips and cried out, pulling him in deeper.   He sped up his thrusts, timing the strokes of thumb with each one.  It was becoming more and more difficult to stay focused and he pushed her legs forward, her knees in her chest and he sped up, hoping she would find release again.  

Before long he felt her tighten around him and she screamed.  A few more thrusts and Varric felt his balls tighten.  He roared her name as he erupted inside her.  He released her legs and collapsed to his hands above her, panting as he looked down at her.  Hawke reached up and pulled him down for a long kiss.  Varric gently pulled himself from her and moved to her side, he rolled under her, pulling her flush with his side on the thin cot, her head on his chest.  They lay there panting, catching their breath.

"Wow Varric." Hawke. "Wow."

Varric chuckled and pulled the blanket up over them.  He turned his head and kissed her forehead.  "I love you, Marian."

"I love you too, Varric."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the first time I've written smut and shared it. Sorry it's a short chapter... Hope you like!


	4. The Morning After, and the return to Skyhold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly NSFW...

Slowly Varric woke.  He could feel Hawke curled against him and smiled.  Until he reached under the blanket to scratch his hip and realized he was naked.  He froze, his eyes snapping open to stare at the canvas above his head.  Then, suddenly, it all came back.  He was in an Inquisition camp, not the Hanged Man.  They had just survived physically in the fade, and he'd declared his love to Hawke, who had happily reciprocated.  As the events of yesterday had come back to him, he reached over to pull Hawke a little closer to him.  She mumbled in her sleep, and Varric smiled. How many times had they passed out together in his rooms?  How many times had he wanted to wake up and be able to hold her like this?  To be allowed to?

Varric smirked and started peppering her back with kisses. How many times had he wanted to reach up and cup her breast while her lovely ass was pressed into his groin, much like it was now?  As he put thought to action he felt, more than heard, Hawke’s breath hitch as she started to wake.  She moaned, and suddenly he felt her stiffen. 

“Its me, darling.” Varric mumbled at her between kisses.  She instantly relaxed and rolled over, smiling up at him.  She reached up and kissed him, roaming her hands across his back.  When he pulled back, Varric looked into her blue eyes.  “Should I be insulted you forgot who was in your bed?” he grinned.

Hawke smacked him across his chest, hard enough to sting, and then kissed the handprint there. “Don’t be an ass.  I forgot about last night, for a moment.”

“I’m just shitting you. I did too, until I realized where I was.”  Varric leaned down and kissed her again before nudging her head to the side and he nibbled on her neck.  His hand, which was still busy playing with her nipple started to caress its way down her side to her hip. He started to lean onto her, his hand sliding towards the juncture of her thighs.  Hawke moaned, but it didn't sound quite as pleasurable as Varric was hoping for.  He leaned back, a questioning look on his face.

"Varric, love...  Its morning."

"I noticed."  He raised an eyebrow.  "Is this about to get awkward?" He sighed.

"Yes, but only if you don't get off my bladder and let me go to the privy." Hawke laughed at him.  He gave her one more kiss and leaned back, releasing her.  She got up and grabbed a tunic and pants off the floor.  She slipped into her boots so she could leave, pausing at the entrance to look back at him.  Her eyes were warm and apologetic as she admired the handsome dwarf reclined on one arm watching her.  She winked and disappeared "I love you!" She called over her shoulder.

Varric lay there a few moments and waited.  It wasn't long before he felt the call of nature as well and pulled himself out of bed.  He grabbed his trousers and pulled them on and looked for his tunic, smirking when he realized Hawke was wearing it.  He picked up her shirt and draped it over the bed, knowing he could never get it over his broad shoulders, even if he could pass it off as a man's shirt.  There were some things even his reputation wouldn't survive.  

He let himself out of her tent, bare chested into the cool air.  He took himself quickly to the privy and quickly back.  When he got back to the tent, Hawke threw his tunic at him.  "Get dressed, don't know if you noticed, but they're breaking down camp.  We're headed back to Skyhold."  

Varric slipped into the shirt and pouted at her like a child who'd had their new favorite toy taken away.  "So much for my plans."  He said as he belted his trousers and started wrapping his sash around himself.

"Lets hurry up and get some breakfast before we head out.  Besides, I want a real bed." 

"Marian...  Seriously, from earlier...  This isn't going to get awkward, is it?"

"Varric, I've loved you forever."  She came over and rested her arms on his shoulders, looking down at him, as he put his arms around her waist. "At first, you said you weren't into humans.  Then I thought there was a jealous crossbow to contend with, and really...  Who could deal with that?" She chuckled and kissed him on his nose.

"Then I realized you weren't crazy..."

"Hey!" 

"And that there might really be a 'Bianca' out there.  I didn't know the story, since you wouldn't tell, but who can compete with a memory?  I figured I just needed to wait.  I didn't know if you felt the same way or not."  Her eyes were warm as she spoke, and her fingers played with his hair.

"Is that why you never...  With Anders or Fenris?" Varric asked. 

Hawke huffed, "Those two.  Anders was always weird.  And who would want to with Justice behind his eyes all the time?  Creepy.  Fenris, while a good man, had too much of his own baggage for me to handle.  I'm glad Isabela and him are happy.  But no, those two were just too high maintenance for me."

"Lucky me." Varric said and pulled her down for a long kiss.  Hands were just starting to roam when they heard the pommel of a blade knocked on the tent pole outside.  Varric let her go with a groan.

"Champion?" A nervous voice said, "The Inquisitor has sent for you.  She wants to leave shortly and wants to discuss something with you."

"I'll be right over, thank you." Hawke answered, a blush creeping across her face.

The solder coughed slightly, "She also wants Master Tethras."

Hawke bit her finger to keep from laughing and Varric grinned, "Tell Inquisitor Levallen we'll be along shortly" he chuckled. They quickly pulled on their armor and grabbed their weapons, and no few heated glances and kisses, before leaving the tent.  As soon as they left, soldiers decended on it to start packing the tent up in preparation to leave.

They walked briskly to the Inquisitor's large tent.  It doubled as a sleeping space and a meeting place during a campaign.  Varric held the tent flap aside so that Hawke could go in first. As he entered cheers and laughter went up.  He turned to see Bull and Corwyn laughing and hooting, while Dorian just leaned against the table with an endulgent smile on his face.  Hawke's face was blushing almost as red as the sash around his waist, but she grinned back at them.  Cullen's face matched Hawke's, and he refused to make eye contact. Varric raised his hands, "Alright you two."

 "I'm so happy for you two!" Corwyn laughed before pointing them towards a tray of food. The elf turned back towards Cullen and they argued over the details of a transfer of supplies to the remaining Grey Wardens. Once they hashed that out, Corwyn turned to Hawke. "You said you knew a Grey Warden who could come help the Wardens?"

 "Yes, my brother, Carver.  He's been off in hiding since the Calling, but we'll bring him out.  Do you want him to come to Skyhold first for a briefing, or straight to Weishupt?" Hawke answered, after swallowing a sip of coffee.

Corwyn thought a moment before saying, "How informed has he been?"

"Somewhat.  Whenever I could get a letter through to Aveline.  He could probably do with a full briefing.  Both of them could." Varric answered.  He caught Hawke trying to look at him.  She knew how informative his coded letters could be.  If he wanted somebody to know something, they'd know.

"So bring him to Skyhold.  Its a bit out of his way, but I'd rather have somebody going there who was informed to the full situation.  What is his rank in the Wardens?" 

"Warden-Constable. Its median, but higher than all of the ones I saw survive Adamant.  And he hasn't been in the middle of that mess."

Corwyn nodded.  After a few more discussions, they quit the tent so that it too could be taken down.  A Warden waited outside for Corwyn, no doubt to be informed of the supplies mentioned earlier and about Warden Hawke.

As Corwyn's tent was the last to come down, they took themselves over to their mounts.  Personal items and been packed and were also also waiting near the steeds.  Varric grabbed his travel pack and bedroll and started tying everything in place on the saddle.  Hawke did the same, when she finished, she found Varric sitting on a wagon, parchment and quill in hand.  She rolled her eyes, Of course.

"Aleady getting Adament on the page?" She laughed.

"No, writing a letter to Carver and Aveline.  At least get them moving towards Skyhold while we're traveling.  We're both about a week out, depending on when they can get a ship."

"'Bela should still be up that way.  I'll send her a note telling her to pick up two passengers in Kirkwall."

"Good idea, but three.  Hmm... Four, technically." Varric didn't even look up.

"Oh?"  Hawke stared at him, pausing in her action of getting her own paper and quill from Varric's pack.  The dwarf just smirked.  Knowing she wouldn't get an answer, Hawke huffed at him before she started writing a quick note to the Pirate Captain.  Once she was done, she sealed it and handed it to Varric, who had already finished his.  He jogged over to where Cullen was overseeing the loading of the wagons and handed him the letters before heading back.

"Curly has a couple extra crows from Leliana.  He'll get them out." Varric told her as he mounted his pony.  Hawke did the same and they joined Bull and Dorian in waiting for the Inquisitor to mount up.  

They rode out ahead of the wagons, the Inquisitor, her companions, Hawke and Cullen.  They would ride ahead of the slower wagon train, camping at Inquisition outposts, and making better time back to Skyhold.  

 

~*~

 

It took them a week to get back to Skyhold, as Varric had predicted.  They had met with no bad weather, luckily.  Who enjoyed riding out a rain or snow storm in a tent, or worse: mounted.  After they'd handed their mounts off to the stable boys, and their packs off to servants (with Hawke's pack going with Varric's to his room), the two made their way up to Leliana's tower for news on Carver.

"They should be here in two days.  Your ship met them at Kirkwall and brought them south.  They hit the bad weather you didn't and its been slow going.  Rainstorm turned the roads into mud."  The spymaster informed them as she eyed them.  She looked as though she was trying to decide to say something.

Decision apparently made, she took a breath.  "You know that Cassandra will likely kill you, Varric."

Varric sighed, "Once again I am falsely accused of whatever it is I am accused of.  Falsely.  What is it this time, Nightengale?"

"You and Hawke." She pointed to each of them, in turn.

"Not so falsely accused." Hawke chuckled.

Varric shot her a grimace.  "What is it?"

"She will either believe this has been going on all along, which is the least likely of the two options, given my reports.  Or, she will be upset she didn't go to Adamant and witness what happened when you came out of the fade."  The spymaster was very much laughing behind her eyes.

Varric grabbed Hawke's hand, grumbling as he went, and dragged her down the stairs.  They passed Dorian, in the library, who grinned as they went by.  Hawke thought she saw him put down his book and start to follow.  Varric quickly pulled them through the rotunda that Solas had painted and through the Great Hall.  He only slowed when they went down the long stairs so she wouldn't trip.  He finally stopped in the training yard.

"Varric, what are y..."

"SEEKER!!!!" Varric roared.  When Cassandra looked up across the field, startled, Varric grabbed Hawke and pulled her down for a long kiss.  Whistles, hoots and hollering rent the air, predictably in a keep full of soldiers.  Hawke grinned against Varric's mouth and started chuckling, as he did the same.  She pulled him in for a long hug, while whispering in his ear, "I'll get you for this."

"I truly hope so, Marian.  I humbly submit myself to your punishment." Varric gave a throaty chuckle.

"This is NOT going in your next book."

"Give me some credit, Marian.  I won't reveal... everything." Varric chuckled.

"Varric!" The Seeker growled, as she marched up to them, glaring at them both.  They turned, with perfectly matched innocent expressions.

"Yes, Seeker?" Varric asked, holding Hawke's hand.  

Cassandra eyed their hands and melted, "That was beautiful.  Was it just like the Knight-Captian?  Did it just hit you?"

"It was just like the tales." Hawke answered solemnly, her eyes bright with laughter.

"Come on, Hawke.  I'm hungry." Varric pulled her towards the Herald's Rest.  Once they were inside and out of Cassandra's earshot and sight they doubled over laughing.  "That should keep her off my back for at least a month." 

That was all he was able to say before they were pulled to a table by the Chargers, who produced tankards of mead and the pot pies Corbin's establishment made.  They ate and drank, answering questions about Adament, but avoiding questions about the Fade.  Any time a tankard was finished, it was found to be full for the next sip.  By the end of the night, they were sitting with Dorian, Blackwall and Sera along with the Chargers.  Corwyn had joined them at some point, but had disappeared.  So had Bull.  Nobody seemed to notice, but Varric had.  He wasn't sure how he noticed.  He'd been distracted for some time by a drunken Sera.  He had watched with dark eyes as the drunk elf had draped herself over Hawke's lap.  The elf had been kissing her way up the column of Hawke's neck while Hawke had held his eyes.  

Varric had had enough of watching this display.  He wasn't the jealous sort, and knew Hawke was teasing him.  The pirate had done much the same at the Hanged Man, and he was fully aware that Isabela often tried to get a rise out of him.  In more ways than one.  He made a show of standing up and tossing back the last of his drink and holstering Bianca on his back.  He leaned in to Hawke like he was going to whisper something in her ear.  Instead ran his tongue and teeth down the shell of her ear before suckling her lobe into his mouth.  He then ran his teeth down her neck, letting his stubble scrape her neck.  "I'm going to bed now, care to join me, Marian?"

The woman jumped up so fast she dumped the obviously forgotten elf on the floor much to the delight of the drunk Chargers. Laughing, Sera pulled herself up into Hawke's chair as Harding gave her another drink.  Anything else was missed as Hawke and Varric left.  As soon as they were out in the night air, Varric pulled her down for a searing kiss, the fingers of one hand at the back of her head, holding her in place.  The other hand snaked down and grabbed her ass, pulling her towards him and breaking the kiss.  He buried his face between her breasts, nipping her skin through the fabric of her shirt.  Suddenly he scooped her up, carrying her towards the keep and his rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a little bit of liberty with Carver's rank in the Wardens. If he had gone to them at the end of the Deep Roads mission in DA2, then there were 6 or 7 years to the end of the game... And then a half a year or more for DA:I and where we are now. Since I don't think anybody has been told how fast a Warden gains rank, saving the world form a Blight not withstanding...
> 
> Also, I am shipping Bull with the Inquisitor, and they have fought a dragon... But the scene in his room hasn't happened yet, so they're both still trying to keep it quiet. But apparently, author's notice everything.


	5. Who's Come to the Inquisition?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carver and his 'escort' arrive at Skyhold, much to the delight of the Champion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NSFW. I didn't intend it to go that way, but it happened. Enjoy!!

A small party approached the gates at Skyhold. They had not made it over the long bridge unobserved, and the gate guard faced them.  He’d been told to expect travelers, but he still had a duty to protect those within the keep.  As they approached he took the time to observe them. 

There didn’t seem to be a bowman among them, no quivers. Three of them bore swords and of those, one had a shield.  Their cloaks hid much, so he couldn’t see any weapons on the fourth, but she didn't appear to be wearing pants.  The last in the group was a large mabari.  As a Fereldan, the gate guard knew that one mustn’t discount a mabari as an equal party member to the others.  He’d seen one rip the arm off a genloc during the Fifth Blight.

The person in the lead, a woman with red hair tied back and the shield on her back. She approached him first.  “Please send for Inquisitor Levallen and Master Tethras.  Grey Warden Hawke, and his escort.”  She gestured to the man behind her dark hair and blue eyes.  There was a sword strapped to his back.

“Yes Ma’am.” The guard turned and sent a runner off.

The runner, the guard’s son, found Varric at his table in the Great Hall when he was on his way to the War Room. Skidding to a stop and blurted “Pa says there’s folks at th’gate fer you’n ‘quisitor.”

Varric looked up at the boy and smiled. “Carry on, Mateo, but you may want to slow down so that you’re not out of breath for the Inquisitor.”

“Yes, Master Tethras.” The boy took a deep breath and strode purposefully towards the door that led to Josephine’s office and the War Room beyond that. 

Varric stood and straightened his papers. Taking his time, waiting for the Inquisitor to come by.  Once she appeared, Varric fell into step beside her.  They walked down to the courtyard for Varric to make introductions.

“Inquisitor, may I have the pleasure to introduce you t…”

“Oh, shut it Varric. You always did talk too much.” Carver growled.  “I am Ser Hawke, Warden Constable.  This is Kirkwall’s Guard Captian, Aveline Vallen-Hendyr.  Isabela, Captain of the Siren’s Call, and her First Mate; Fenris.”  Carver gestured to each as he introduced them.

The lad had grown up, somewhat, Varric thought to himself, still an ass though.  "And this is Beast.”  He rubbed the hound’s head in his hands while the stub tail wagged so fast the back half of the dog wiggled back and forth.  “Beast, go find Hawke.”

The mabari woofed, then held his head high and sniffed a moment. Suddenly he tore off in the direction of the keep.  As far as Varric knew, Hawke was in the library with Dorian, helping him research something about Corypheus.  Varric waited as he listened to the shouts of nobles as the dog ran through the Great Hall, nothing from Solas, and then…

“BEAST!!” they heard Hawke squeal.  It wasn’t loud from outside, but to be heard she would have had to put some volume behind it.  Varric held up one finger, then two.  At the third finger, she quite loudly and clearly yelled “CARVER!!!!” before everybody could see her charging down the stairs from the keep, her mabari running beside her.

“Brace yourself, Little Hawke.” Varric suggested to the Warden.

“Maker, don't call me that!“ Carver grumbled before planting his feet in preparation for his sister. Hawke jumped at him, throwing herself into his arms for a hug.  She was mumbling things to him when she realized that her friends stood around.  She pushed Carver away and leapt for Aveline next, and then Isabela.  Even Fenris allowed himself to be pulled in for a hug.

Varric turned toward the Inquisitor, who was watching this display with an amused smile. “This won’t last too much longer, Inquisitor.”

Once Hawke managed to calm down she turned back to the Inquisitor. “You’ve been introduced?  Good.  Lets go get a drink while Carver gets his briefing.” 

The groups separated. The Inquisitor led the Gray Warden to the War Room, while the rest followed Hawke into up to Herald’s Rest.  Hawke chatted, catching up with the ladies, while Fenris held back with Varric.  When they pulled themselves up chairs in Herald's Rest, almost like it was the Hanged Man.  A bar maid brought tankards and they all talked.  That is to say, the ladies chatted and caught up.  Fenris and Varric sat and listened, with Fenris grunting agreement where appropriate and Varric adding a word here and there.  Occasionally, Aveline or Isabela shot Varric a look that was usually preceded by Hawke leaning into Varric just a little too long while laughing at something. 

Finally, Isabela shot out of her chair and pointed where Hawke and Varric had just interlaced their fingers, "I knew it!  I knew it!!  That's ten sovereigns, Big Girl!"

Aveline grimaced and pulled the coins out of her pouch.  She handed them to the hooting pirate.  "I thought if it hadn't happened by now, it wasn't going to happen." she grumbled.

"If there's one thing I have learned, its never bet against Isabela." Fenris said.

Varric chuckled and raised his hand to kiss the back of Hawkes' hand.

"All I can say is that it's about time.  You two have been dancing around yourselves since Hawke was recovering from fighting the Arishok." Isabela said as she waved down the barmaid and ordered a couple of bottles of wine for the group.  She paid for it with Aveline's coin.

"I knew I knew your name from someplace, Hawke." A deep voice said from above Isabela, who tensed as grey hands came down on the back of her chair.  Hawke snorted and Varric waved The Iron Bull and Krem to a chair.  Not that he believed that Bull didn't know who Hawke was when they'd been introduced.

"This is Iron Bull and Krem, Commander and second in charge of the Bull's Chargers.  These are..." Varric started.

"Let me see if I can figure it out from the descriptions... " The Iron Bull said, and pointed as he said, "White hair, angry eyes, lyrium tattoos, elf; Fenris.  Red hair, strong shield arm, Guard Captain; Aveline.  And...  Isabela, the pirate who stole the Tome of Koslun." Bull grinned.  Isabela jumped up, pulling her knives as she went, and leveled one on the large quinari's throat.  Fenris was right behind her, pulling his blade.  Suddenly the sound of a dozen or more blades being pulled from their scabbards filled the room, the bard by the stairs stuttering to a stop.  All of the blades were pointed at Isabela and Fenris, save the ones in their hands.  Beast's heavy growl filled the silence.

Suddenly Sera's voice called out, "Bouncy Tits down there gonna get her ass skewered.  Shame too, she's right fit."

The Iron Bull raised his hands.  "I didn't mean anything by that.  We're all friends here, not one of us going to try to drag you off to Par Vollen.  Personally, I don't care what you did.  I'm impressed you pulled such a caper off.  And that you found the right people to watch your back and protect you from the Antaam.  They won't be getting any reports from me either.  I'm Tal'Vashoth now, not a part of the Qun." Bull seemed to choke on the last part.

Slowly, Isabela lowered her knives and sheathed them, Fenris following her lead.  They both raised their hands and the blades around them began finding their scabbards, one by one.  Hawke's mabari settled himself at her feet again, and promptly fell asleep.

"C'mon.  Buy you a drink."  Bull turned to the bar maid and called out, "Maraas-Lok!!"

Varric groaned, burying his face in his hand.  It was going to be an interesting night.

 

Sometime later, Carver found the Heralds Rest and entered to look for his sister.  There was many people crowded into one corner.  Half the bar seemed to be there, most of them yelling wagers about something going on in the middle.  He stood near a tall man with dark hair and a neat moustache watching.  "What is going on?"

"It seems that one of Varric's friends from Kirkwall has been challenged to an arm wrestling match by Blackwall."  The man spared him a glance.  "Oh, dear me, you're new and probably have no idea whom I'm speaking of."

"I'm one of Varric's Kirkwall friends." Carver put his hand out, "Carver Hawke." 

"Dorian Pavius, at your service.  You're Marian's brother." 

Carver sighed and mumbled something about standing in shadows before saying louder in agreement, "I'm Marian's brother."

Suddenly about half the crowd started cheering and Isabela started walking around, collecting bets.  Carver rubbed his eyes and then pinched his nose.  "Everywhere they go..."

"A night here is usually more subdued than this, to be honest."  The men watched while Aveline won an arm wrestling contest.

"Well, could it get more wild?"

"They aren't swinging from the rafters, and there isn't a literal pissing contest going on."

"You have a point there."  Carver smiled and followed Dorian as they pushed through the dispersing crowd towards a corner table.  A large Quinari was standing over a dark haired, bearded man who was shaking hands with Aveline. 

Carver crossed his arms and watched while Varric reached up, grinning and patted the darker haired man saying, "I told you she was stronger, Hero."  Varric glanced about and spotted Carver.  The dwarf waved him over and introduced the two Wardens.  Carver leaned over and told the shorter man something before turning back to his fellow Warden.  They went to the bar to order drinks and talk.

Excitement pretty much over, Varric plopped himself next to Hawke.    He took up his glass of wine, put an arm around Hawke and watched those around him.  It made him pleased that in the middle of a war, everyone could find the moments needed to cut loose and relax. 

"Varric, is it true?" 

"Is what true, Rivaini?" Varric turned to the pirate, who sat bonelessly at his other side. He didn't envy the elf, putting her to bed. 

Isabela turned in her chair and faced Varric, leaning over him, her breasts almost spilling out of her shirt.  "The chest hair."  She purred and grinned.  Hawke snickered on the dwarf's other side.

"You know, Rivani, for somebody so obviously obsessed with chest hair, you'd think you'd choose anybody but a body hair deficient elf for a companion."

"Oh, he has his uses.  He doesn't need the chest hair.  Still, its sometimes fun to have a taste of another meal.  You can't eat your favorite every night, or it gets tiresome."

"Well, this meal has been reserved." Varric chuckled. 

Isabela pouted a moment before Fenris slid in next to her and pulled her onto his lap.  "This is why it behooves me to keep you as full as possible so you don't want to try other meals."  Fenris' voice rumbled against Isabela's neck as he started to kiss her. 

"Before this metaphor gets any more out of hand, go find a bed you two, and not a table." Varric said, his voice sounding strained.  The pair laughed and got up, leaving the tavern.  Glancing around, Varric realized that Aveline must have gone off to find a bed also, and the tavern was starting to empty out.  He glanced down at Hawke, who was also watching the crowd, but with half lidded eyes.  "C'mon you.  Lets get you to bed."

"I could fall 'sleep right here."

"Not that it hasn't happened before, but my suite at the Hanged Man was closer.  Besides, you have to get up early." Varric pulled Hawke to her feet and pulled her out of the tavern.  Beast followed, and the cooler air seemed to revive her a little.  

"Why do I have to get up early?"

"Junior told me earlier that you've been invited to a meeting in the War Room in the morning."  Varric seemed to grumble.

"Why?  I already gave them my version of what happened in Adament and the fade." Hawke whined.

"I don't know." Varric growled, not sure if he he was upset because she was going or because he didn't know why.  He didn't like not knowing things, and now that Marian and he had found each other, he didn't want to jeopardize what they had found.  He didn't like the idea of the Inquisition pulling the Champion in.  It was part of why they had kept her location secret in the first place.  When he'd first brought Hawke here and Cassandra had gone off on him, he'd told the absolute truth to her.  He firmly believed that if they'd found the Champion and brought her to the Conclave, Hawke would be dead.  The thought, the memory of the thought, sent ice to his veins, especially since it had almost happened at Adamant.

Varric put his arm around Hawke's waist, drawing comfort from her warm body, knowing and feeling that she was alive and well beside him.  When they made it to their room, Varric let them in.  As the dog went to the fire and fell back asleep, Varric turned and locked the door as he always did.  He turned and began unbuttoning his tunic, pulling it out of his sash and pants.  He watched as Marian took off each article of clothing and placed it neatly in a pile on her side of the bed.  When she was down to her smalls he went to her, putting his arms around her from behind, pulling her against him.  While she was taller than he, he could still rest his forehead on the nape of her neck.  She placed her arms around his and hugged them, while he tightened his grip on her and kisssed her shoulder.

"I love you, Marian."

"I love you too, Varric."  She said, as she turned in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck.  She looked into his eyes and could see the concern there.  "What is bothering you?"

Varric sighed and pulled her in for a long and slow kiss.  He savored it, each touch, each breath.  Her hands in his hair, tugging out his tie.  He left her lips and placed his on her neck, leaving slow love bites there.  He felt her lips capture his ear lobe in her mouth and give it a suckle, his earing tugging further.  Her hands roamed around his shoulders caressing and squeezing tense muscles, trapped on the upper portion of his body by his arms.  

Varric reached around to unlatch her breast band and he pulled it from her.  Their eyes met as he discarded it and she leaned forward to kiss him again, bringing her soft breasts against the hard planes of his upper chest.  Her hands, now below his, roamed down his back and cupped his ass, squeezing.  She turned them and walked him backwards to the bed.  When Varric felt the mattress against his thighs he stopped, but she pulled away from him and pushed him down.  While he sat, she unwound his sash from him, and then reached lower to pull off his boots.  She then moved higher, bringing her hands to his groin.  Varric's breath stopped as her hands brushed his hardness while undoing his belt and untieing his pants.  He shifted without being asked while she pulled them down with his smalls and discarded everything to the side.  From her position, kneeling between his legs in nothing but her smalls, Varric watched her.  

She slowly brought her hands back up his legs, one scratching her nails lightly through the hair, while the other caressed his calf and the back of his knee.  She brought both hands to the front and pushed his thighs further apart so she could get closer, then one hand went higher up and pushed him down to lay on the bed.  Laying back with his legs dangling over the side of the bed caused his cock to raise up, jutting out unashamedly.  From this position he couldn't see what she was doing so he let out a loud surprised moan when he felt her pull one of his balls into her mouth.  "Andraste's flaming ass, Marian." He choked out.

He felt her smile, the writer in him noting the strangeness of feeling a smile around one's testicles.  Her throaty chuckle though, that rumbled and vibrated right up his spine causing him to moan again.  She continued to suckle on his pouch, alternating between each tender globe, her tongue gently lapping at him.  He felt her hand slide up his thigh and approaching his cock.  It bobbed, as if trying to find something to fit into while she drew a finger up its length to the pearly drip that had formed there.  He felt disappointment as she let his balls fall from her mouth before letting out another loud moan as her tongue followed he path of her finger to lick the precum off his dick.  The moan turned into a shout as her mouth enveloped his head and her fingers gripped him, stroking down to the base of his cock.  

Panting heavily, Varric raised his head to watch Marian as she began bobbing on is dick.  Her hair brushed his hips with each downstroke, tickling him.  "Marian..." he ground out, his voice more gravely than normal, as he brought a large hand down to pull her hair to the side.

She looked up, her eyes fully darkened with desire as she sucked him.  The sight alone, of his love's eyes filled with lust as his length disappeared into her mouth again and again almost causing him to lose control.  "Get up here." He ground out.  

She shook her head, his dick waving back and forth as she did.  Groaning, Varric dropped his head back to the bed.  "Please." He panted.  "Please, Marian.  I need to..."  His dick fell out of her mouth with a pop, and he cried out.

"Get on the pillows."  Marian ordered.  The dwarf scrambled himself on his back up to the pillows and laid back.  He watched her pull her smalls down her long legs and toss them aside before joining him on the bed.  She crawled up his body, leaving a wet trail of licks and bites as she went.  He lay there panting, trying to regain control of his body.  "What do you want me to do, Varric?" She asked between kisses.

He sat up and reached down, just as she was going back for his cock.  He pulled her up his body as he lay down again.  He trailed his hands down to her ass and pulled her up to his face.  Without waiting, he buried his tongue in her slit and lapped the juices there.  Hawke cried out as she placed her hands on the headboard to steady herself.  Varric wrapped both his arms around her thighs, reaching forward with his fingers and opened her to his gaze.  Her sex glistened with desire and he leaned forward again to place his tongue on her clit.  Over and over, he nibbled and lapped at it until he could tell she was about to come undone.  

He slid down the bed, between her thighs and got up.  He turned as he got up and up and grabbed his dick.  He quickly aligned himself and drove into her, placing his hands on her creamy white skin to pull her back against him.  Instantly she screamed out her orgasm and he felt her walls tighten around him.  He pounded into her, pulling her back against him as she started to tremble.  Varric roared as his orgasm hit him, he drove as far as he could into her and held her there as he felt his balls leave jet after jet of his seed in her.

Slowly, he leaned down and kissed her sweaty back before he pulled himself out of her.  He pulled the blankets and sheets down, slipping them down her body, before pulling them back up over them both.  Varric settled beside her, pulling her into his chest as he kissed her shoulders again.  

"That was a delightful distraction, Varric, but you never did tell me what was bothering you." Marian mumbled sleepily.

"I just don't want to lose you to the Inquisition, Sweetheart.  I don't want to lose this, now that we've found it." Varric rumbled into her back.

"I won't let that happen.  I won't let you go, either, Varric.  Don't think I don't hate this any less than you do."

"I know.  Get some rest, Marian.  I love you."

"I love you too, Varric."  

He reached back and snuffed the candle.

 

~*~

 

The next morning, Varric woke slowly.  He tried to stretch but found Hawke had twined herself fully against him.  One leg was thrown over his, an arm around his chest, and her head rested in the crook of his shoulder.  His arm was stretched under her and from the sensation, there was no blood flowing in it.  That's when he felt a cold wet nose fit itself under his hand and lift it.  

Varric cried out from the pins and needles sensation traveling up his arm, causing Hawke to jerk awake.  She sat up searching for an enemy before laughing at Varric's expression while he pulled his arm to his chest and massaged it.  She got out of bed and let the dog out to find his way outside.  

"We need to teach that dog to use a water closet." Varric grumbled.  

"Hawke chuckled again while she walked into the water closet.  Coming out, she got dressed in a fresh set of clothes while Varric did the same.  She had enough time to get a bite off breakfast before her meeting in the war room.

They entered the Great Hall and fixed themselves both plates, and an extra one for Beast, who joined them when they sat down.  Hawke put a plate of eggs and steak in front of the war hound, who woofed his thanks and tucked in.  Just as they were finishing their meal, Carver came into the Hall, followed by Aveline.  "Good morning, Sister."

"Good morning Carver!"  She got up and pulled him in for a hug before she realized he was in his armor.  She let him go, with a raise of her eyebrow.  "Heading out, already?"

"Yes, I'm needed in Wieshupt."  

"Couldn't spend any time with the sister you haven't seen but once in, what? Six years?" Varric commented.  "I hardly think that once counts, since we spent all our time fighting blighted carta and darkspawn."

"I have duties, Dwarf.  You would understand, if you weren't spending all your time shagging my sister since she got here." Carver eyed the barely concealed love bite on Hawke's neck while she gasped.

Varric leapt to his feet and turned to the Grey Warden.  He brought his fist up, ready to strike the taller man, before Aveline put herself between them.  "Stop it, you idiots.  Carver, your sister doesn't deserve that, and neither does Varric.  You weren't there to see how much they loved each other but couldn't say it.  If you thought I was bad with Donnic..." The guard's woman shook her head.  

"And who's fault was that?" Carver bit out, before turning and walking away.  Hawke held her hands in fists, obviously torn between saying good bye to her brother, and lighting his ass on fire.

"Be safe, Carver!" Hawke called out.  He waved, but didn't turn, and kept walking.  

Beast, beside her whined, looking between the siblings.  Hawke kneeled down and hugged the mabari.  "I love you boy, but he's a bigger idiot and needs you to watch his back."  The warhound gave her a sloppy kiss and turned to run after the Warden.

"That boy has always been an ass."  Aveline commented, while Hawke stood and whipped her face and sighed.  

"With that mouth, I'm surprised he's made it as far as he has in the Wardens." Varric growled.  "I would have thought they would have tamed him some."

"He still resents Father spending all that extra time with Bethany and I." Hawke said, sadly.  "And he blames me for having to go to the Wardens."  Varric reached out and put a hand on the small of her back, trying to comfort her.  He knew what it was like to have a brother who both loved and loathed you.

"Come on.  The Inquisitor will be waiting." Aveline sighed.  The trio turned and walked down the hall to the War Room.  Knocking once, they let themselves in.

The Inquisitor and the rest of the leaders finished what they were discussing before turning to the Champion.  Lelianna stepped forward, "We want you to go to Hilamshiral, to the Winter Palace, with the Inquisitor."

"What?!"  Hawke was startled.  Of all the things they could have asked, this one caught her the most by surprise.  "I'm no diplomat."

"No, but you are the Champion of Kirkwall.  We want you to go as our guest.  Take your friends, cause a spectacle.  Take the eyes off the Inquisitor." Josephine said.

"Be a distraction." Aveline said.  

"Play The Game." Lelianna answered.

"I can help with that." Varric said, smiling and glancing at Hawke.  This was much better than he had expected.  

"Varric will go with Hawke, along with the rest of her group.  You will be her guards." Corwyn said.  "I will bring Bull, Dorian and Blackwall with me."

"Ok, I'll do it...  But what am I going to wear?  All I have is my armor."

"Let me take care of that, Beautiful." Varric said, a light shining in his eyes.

"Oh, and while you're at it, do get more clothing for your pirate friend.  She cannot go before the preminant families of Orlais without pants." Josephine begged.

Varric chuckled as he turned Hawke to follow Aveline out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you are a fan of Carver. I always felt he was a bit of an ass, and jealous of his sisters for their father's attention.


	6. Wicked Eyes, Loving Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group arrives in Halamshiral and enjoy's the ball. No smut, but there is fluff. Varric fluff is the best.

They had a month to prepare.  Hawke was amazed at how quickly Varric was able to bring two seamstresses, with their fabrics, to Skyhold.  Corwyn had told her that the Inquisition had offered the tailors that had made the uniforms the rest were going to wear, but Varric had scoffed and said they weren't good enough.  Hawke felt like she was back at her estate with her mother clucking as she stood in a partially made dress getting pinned.

"Why aren't you getting pinned and poked?" Hawke whined.

"You heard the Inquisitor.  We're your guards.  I can't guard if I'm not in my armor." Aveline answered, amused.  "Besides, could you see me in a dress again?  The wedding was enough, and Donnic would kill me if he found out I wore one without him here to see."

"Are you going back after this?" Hawke asked.

"I don't like it, you know I'll always be there when you need me, but I do have to go back to my duties.  I've left them to others for too long.  Besides, you have the whole Inquisition to watch you.  Besides Varric."

"And I'm sticking around for a while.  Wouldn't want you to get lonely without Lady Manhands." Isabela put in.

"Shut up, Whore.  I knew I shouldn't have participated in that stupid contest."

"But think of the coin you made for us!"  Isabela purred.  

"What are you doing about clothes, Isabela?" Hawke put in, before their argument escalated.

"I'll be ready, Hawke.  And I'll be clothed enough for your Lady Josie." Isabela said, laughing.  "What we really need is something more for you.  This corset is nice, and it works beautifully with your dress, but its missing something.

"What's that, my lady?" The seamstress asked, archly.  She had been very resistant to changes in the pattern and outfit thus far.

"Don't you worry about it, I'll see to it." Isabela said, grinning.  The seamstress harrumphed at her.  The Pirate grabbed the piece of clothing and danced out of the room with it.  Hawke and Aveline exchanged glances.

"I know what she has planned, and approve.  Don't worry about it, Hawke."

"Stand up straight, stop slumping." The seamstress growled as Hawke let out a sigh and stood straighter.

 

~*~

 

Several weeks later they were arriving in Halamshiral.  They were being put up in a house graciously loaned to them by a Duke, and Hawke was in awe over the opulence of the accommodations.  The curtained bed was big enough to hold three of the Arishok with room to spare.  There was a changing room with its own closet each for My Lord and My Lady, and a wash room with a gigantic tub, not just a water closet.

"This place is bigger than the Hanged Man, and far better than my estate." Hawke said in awe.

"It will do." Varric said to the servant who had brought them.

His laughing eyes turned back to the Champion as the servant bowed himself out.  "First scandal down."  He said to her.  When they had arrived, there had been separate rooms for Varric and Hawke, which they had refused, choosing instead to room together.  Of course, this decision had sent the servant to sputtering indignantly, and he'd reluctantly brought them to the room reserved for The Champion.  Aveline, Isabela and Fenris also had rooms, although they'd played Fenris off as Hawke's servant and personal body guard.  Better to keep the nobles guessing.

"Want to go get the lay of the land, My Dear Hawke?" Varric asked, once their bags and Hawke's trunk had been settled and unpacked.  "I have business to attend to in town, and we do have a day to kill."  

"Of course you do.  The Merchant's Guild find you, even here?"

"Something like that."

They gathered up their companions and sent a message to Corwyn to let her know what they were about.  The group walked through the streets, pointing out various points of interest.  Easy access to a lord's home, architecture, guard rotations, and various shops were all commented on.  

Finally, Varric found what he was looking for and made plans to meet them at a restaurant in an hour.  While the ladies dragged Fenris off, Varric moved into a shop three down from the one he'd stopped in front of.  He let himself in and began looking through the glass counters at nothing in particular.  An elf approached him, and after a few exchanged words, led him to the back.

The ladies dragged Fenris into and out of so many shops the elf had lost count.  The only one that held even the slightest interest for him was the one with the weapons-smith, but he specialized in small weapons for the ladies of court.  It was interesting, if only because they were blades.  He sat back and watched while several blades were picked out for Hawke to hide in her dress, and for Isabela to have because she wanted them.  

They finally finished shopping and found the restaurant that Varric had directed them to.  They had beat the dwarf there, and put their names in with the Maitre'd.  The man looked down his nose at them, specifically at the armor they still wore from their travel to Halamshiral.  "I am sorry, My Lady, but we don't have seating."

Hawke looked into the dining area, at the many open tables.  "It seems you do.  Please seat us, and have room for one more."

"Apologies, but those tables are reserved." The man said, despite Hawke's glare.

"What's this?" Varric said from behind them.  "My table should be ready."  

"And you are...?" the maitre'd asked stiffly.

"Messer Tethras, Deshyr of Kirkwall, and head of House Tethras."

"My Lord, right this way."  The maitre'd grabbed one menu, and glared at Hawke.

"Seating for five, my good man.  We wouldn't want to leave The Champion of Kirkwall standing here."

"The Cha...  My deepest apologies, My Lady.  I didn't realize."  The man scrambled to arrange menus, and placed them at a table next to the windows in the corner.  Hawke smirked, but didn't laugh, as the poor man apoligized every step of the way.

Once seated, with drinks in hand, Hawke started snorting.  "I didn't think they were going to let us in."  

"Didn't say who you were, at least not the right way.  People here are impressed by titles, not names.  Marian Hawke isn't going to get you far, but Lady Hawke Champion of Kirkwall, will.  Think of them as three times as pretentious as Bran." Varric chuckled. 

"You will do well to remember that tomorrrow evening.  They will expect you to behave like the country girl from backwater Kirkwall." Fenris commented.  Having served his old master Danarius at many such events, he would know.

"We should have a plan." Aveline commented, after their main course was served.  "Is she to 'wow' them with her lady like charm?  Play into their preconceived ideas, or charm them as the country girl from the backwater?"

"A little of column A, a little of column B.  Just follow my lead, Lady Hawke." Varric said.  

 

The next afternoon found Hawke in the 'Lady's' dressing room getting ready.  Isabela had already gotten ready in a stunning, and slightly revealing, outfit.  She was wearing a bright blue shirt under a black suede corset, thigh high boots and yes; fawn colored deerskin breeches.  Her hair was pulled up into her customary bandana and atop that she wore a brightly plumed hat.  At her side was a cutlass, and Hawke was sure that some of her purchases from the weapons-smith were hidden away on her person.  "They want a Pirate Captian, they're getting her." Isabela had laughed.

They set to work, Isabela first adding touches of rouge and kohl to her eyes and stain on her lips before placing jeweled earrings on her ears and a matching necklace around her neck.  The jewelry was on loan from Inquisition vaults.  Finally, the dress.  It had a squared neckline that fell low, especially once her breasts were pushed up by the corset.  The rich cream colored silk fabric looked heavy but was light and airy, and even with the corset she was able to breath and move.

The tan corset itself was interesting.  It looked outwardly the same as what the seamstress wanted, but it had several hidden panels that Isabela had paid to include.  Inside they could hide several knives on each side.  The panels also doubled as armor.  Another sheathed knife slide between her breasts, and unless somebody as tall as Iron Bull looked down, nobody would know it was there.  

Finally, Hawke sat impatiently while Isabela did something with her shoulder length hair.  It was too short to be intricately coiffed like the ladies at court.  Instead Isabela did something with a hot rod of iron, adding curls and swirls in her arrow straight hair.  She finished it with a scented spray that she said would hold her hair in place.  A few dabs of a matching scent of perfume at her wrists and bosom.

There was a knock at the door, and Aveline let herself in.  Hawke stood and faced her, embarrassed in this getup.  "You look amazing, Hawke.  Even though I saw this being put together, it does nothing for the end result."  

Hawke smiled and felt her eyes getting misty.  Of all her friends, Aveline was the one she knew the longest, and since Bethany's death, was the closest to a sister she had.

"Don't you dare start crying!  You'll ruin the work I did on your face!" Isabela yelled, making Hawke laugh.  The girls hugged each other before pushing Hawke to the door.

Outside, Varric waited.  He'd dressed himself in polished boots, charcoal gray deerskin breeches, his finest royal blue tunic with gold embroidery and a gold and red sash.  The final touch, was a silk jacket a shade or two darker than the shirt and of course, his hair pulled back in a half pony tail.  He'd placed a plain leather sheath with a dagger at his hip, and two more hidden in his boots.  He looked impeccably handsome, if he did say so himself.  

There was a small package, a gift, burning a hole in his inside jacket pocket.  He resisted the urge to place his finger in the pocket to make sure it was there one more time.

The door opened to the Lady's dressing room and Varric turned, his breath catching as he caught sight of Hawke.  She walked towards him, her hands folded in front of her.  He could see her embarrassment, it was written in the way she held herself and how she wouldn't look at him.

"You might want to say something, Varric, before she thinks you don't like her outfit." Isabela said, smugly.  

Varric closed the distance and took Hawke's hands in his own.  He resisted the urge to drop to one knee and instead brought her hands to his lips, kissing each hand in turn.  He looked up at her smiling, "Marian, you are absolutely ravishing.  If we didn't have some place to be, I'd show you just how much I like your ensamble."  Hawke blushed prettily.

"I believe, if you two are finished staring at each other, we are ready to go." Fenris said.

Varric placed Hawke's hand in the crook of his elbow and Fenris lead the way from the room.  The elf fell into his old training, looking each way down the hall before allowing them to leave the room.  The group walked down to the foyer, meeting up with the Inquisition group.  Once assembled, they mounted their loaned carriages and made their way to the Winter Palace.

Their arrival was met with some small fan fair from the nobles assembled in the gardens of the palace.  The Inquisition and the Champion were met with some degree of astonishment, especially when the nobles realized the rumors that the Inquisitor was an elf were true, and she was escorted by a quinari.  That the Champion of Kirkwall was being escorted by a dwarf was barely marked upon.  By now the rumor's of their sleeping arrangements must have spread.  

It wasn't long before Corwyn had immersed herself in Olisian politics, allowing herself to be escorted into the ball by Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons, the cousin of the Empress.  Once they were introduced, the rest of the Inquisition followed, with the substitution of Cassandra over Blackwall, who could not be found two days before they were to leave.  As luck would have had it, Cassandra had also stood for a uniform, before Corwyn had decided who was going to accompany her, so all that was needed was for the finishing hem work to be sewed.

Once the Inquisition had been announced it was their turn.  Hawke took a deep breath as Varric stepped them forward.  "Don't worry, Beautiful.  This guy writes better fiction than I do.  It doesn't matter how we're announced.  We know the truth." He murmured to her.

"Lady Marian Giselle Amell Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall, Vanquisher of the Arishok.  Escorted by; Renowned author, Varric  Tethras.  Head of Noble House Tethras, Deshyr of Kirkwall to the Dwarven Merchants Guild."  Varric lead them down stairs and across the dance floor where they climbed another set of stairs where they paused.  Varric bowed deeply, while Hawke gave her best curtsy.  Once they rose, they moved to the side as the rest of their group was announced, save Fenris.  In his act of body guard, he wasn't deserving of a formal introduction.

"'Vanquisher?'  Wow... I 'vanquished'.  It felt more like I was trampled, skewered and bled on him; all while occasionally casting spells and letting my dog chew on him." Hawke mumbled to Varric.

"You know that's not the version that went into the book, Champion." Varric chuckled.  "Don't forget...  You're an exaggerated version of yourself tonight."

"How exaggerated, Varric?" Hawke raised an eyebrow at him, suspiciously.

"I still can't believe you never read that book."  the dwarf grumbled.  "You're still you.  Just more outgoing."

Hawke continued to look at him, trying to figure out how to play this.  "Just follow my lead, and be yourself.  Everything will be fine, Sweetheart."  Varric told her.

As the night wore on, they nibbled on food, drank wine, and listened for interesting gossip as they mingled. Occasionally, Hawke permitted an Orlesian Lord to take her on a turn around the dance floor, but she mostly stayed by Varric.  There was a lot of talk about the flamboyant Pirate; Isabela was certainly keeping all eyes on herself.  She made it seem she was drinking more than she was, so she could be flamboyant, but not drunk.  Aveline and Fenris kept themselves as quiet shadows to either Hawke and Varric or Isabela, depending on the moment.  There was also plenty of talk of the Inquisitor having taken a quinari lover.  Corwyn and Bull had been found in a compromising position recently by the leaders of the Inquisition, and apparently news of it had reached all the way to the Winter Palace.  Gossip, it seemed, was the life blood of the Game.  Suddenly, in the ball room, it seemed like the murmur of the crowd came to a fever pitch.  Curious, Varric and Hawke exchanged glances before joining the rest of the crowd to watch the dancing.  There on the floor was Inquisitor Levallan dancing with none other than Florianne de Chalons, sister to Grand Duke Gaspard and cousin to the Empress. 

"That is hardly keeping eyes off the Inquisition." Hawke commented under her breath.

 Varric watched a moment more and then murmured back to Hawke, "Something's not right."

Varric moved them towards Leliana where they waited and watched.  As soon as the dance was over, Corwyn made her way over to them.  "This is turning out to be an interesting party." The elf commented when she arrived.  She told them about her conversation with Florianne, about several rumors she had heard, and the blood she had found.  Hawke added a few of the rumors they'd heard, some useful, others not.  It was time for the Inquisition to act.  Corwyn and her group would go into the servant's quarters under the cover of a distraction provided by Varric and Hawke.  The hardest part, now, was going to be coming up with something to keep the Court occupied that would at least be equal to the two women dancing moments before.

"Leave that to me."  Varric said, causing three women to turn to him, eyeing him with varying degrees of suspicion.  "What, I have a plan." 

Hawke groaned.  "How embarrassed am I going to be by the end of the night?  Or is Isabela your distraction?"

"You have five minutes, Inquisitor, before you have your window." Varric told the ladies before pulling a groaning Hawke away. 

"Are you going to give me any warning?"  Hawke asked.

"Where is the fun in that?" Varric replied. 

He walked them around the room.  At the stairs he turned them, heading down to the dance floor.  He could hear a waltz about to start.  "Care to dance, Lady Hawke?"

"I don't think more dancing is going to distract..."

"Care to dance, Lady Champion?" Isabela said, stepping out in front of them.  Varric smirked; right on que.  Without waiting for Hawke's answer, he placed her hand in Isabela's, he then turned around and walked up the stairs.

“Ready for this?” he quietly asked himself as he watched Isabela turn Hawke in the elegant steps of the waltz. At one point the Pirate, tipped her head to the side, probably whispering something to Hawke, but from the other side of the room it almost looked like she was kissing Hawke. It didn’t help that Hawke was blushing bright red from whatever Rivaini said to her. The ladies next to him started commenting about it. It was bad enough that the Champion brought a dwarf but to allow someone to kiss her on the dance floor, and somebody like the pirate! Varric covertly looked around and noticed that most of the court was watching the pair dance, certainly as many as who paid attention to the Inquisitor and Florianne. He looked further, noticed that he didn’t see the Inquisitor anywhere. Almost done here. As they came closer, he saw Rivaini look up at him and slightly nod. Now for the finale.

Varric took a deep breath, steeling himself, before he turned and strode purposefully back down the stairs. He approached the ladies. At just the right moment in their movements, he grabbed Hawke’s hand from Isabela’s and stepped between them, effectively cutting Isabela out of the dance, and he then stepped forward into the dance. Hawke barely missed a step, and the only people effected were the ones behind them, who were forced to stop to avoid hitting Isabela as she stood on the floor. Varric was very happy that Isabela was as good of a card player as she was, or she probably wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face. Once he’d danced them far enough away from Isabela, who’s real job was to hold back the crowd so they could be seen, Varric twirled Hawke to a stop.

There were indignant complaints by those around them, which Varric ignored. Varric chose his volume as skillfully as any storyteller, so that those in the back came closer, and those in the front weren’t knocked over for how loud he was.

“Marian,” he said, catching her attention. “I’ve loved you for seven years now. The moment I realized I loved you was when you were laying in my arms, covered in blood, after you killed the Arishok.” He could hear the excited voices around them. He took another deep breath and watched her eyes get wide. “Marian, we’ve been there for each other through everything our lives have thrown at us, and I don’t think I could have done any of it without you. I don’t want to wait a moment more.”

Varric took one knee and pulled a ring out of his jacket pocket. It was gold and silverite intertwined, with one fine sapphire set low on it. “Marian Hawke, Champion blah blah, blah… Will you be my wife?”

Hawke dropped to her knees beside Varric. Her hand was still in his. He watched her bite her lip, tears in her eyes.

“Marian?”

“Yes, Varric, Yes.” Hawke choked out around a sob. Varric slid the cool ring onto her finger, trying to ignore the tremble in his fingers, before bringing her in for a kiss. It was long and slow, and the crowd around them was forgotten. When she hadn’t answered right away, Varric had felt his heart stop. They hadn’t discussed anything like this, and he figured it would be a perfect distraction. He just didn’t bargain for how gut wrenchingly terrified he was for a moment there. He pulled away from her, warm whiskey eyes meeting cool blue. The both broke into smiles, which lasted until they heard shouting up on the balcony.

It hadn’t taken the Inquisitor long to find the evidence she needed before being confronted by Florianne herself. Now, back out among the nobles, the Inquisitor was loudly sharing everything that she’d found. Florianne's plot to murder the Empress, and turn everybody against each other, thereby taking over the Emprire.  It didn't take much for Florianne to be put in chains and led off. Now, Corwyn was trying her damnedest to get Celene, Gaspard and Briala; Celene’s elvhen former lover, to all come to an agreement.

Varric helped Marian to her feet when Florianne had been lead out. They inched closer once they had been flanked by Aveline, Fenris and Isabela. After some back and forth between the four leaders, Gaspard and Celene stepped forward to the balcony. They talked about reuniting Orlaise, ending the war and ruling in support of each other. Briala watched from shadows.  They reminded the nobles that all of Thedas is at risk from the Breach.  

Following that, the Inquisitor fled to the outer balcony where she briefly met with the apostate, Morigan.  Varric led Hawke slowly from the dance floor.  It seemed every noble they passed wanted to offer well wishes on their engagement.  Men and women who, until this night, had absolutely no passing thoughts to Kirkwall.  Let alone her Champion.  When they finally mounted the stairs to the balcony the music was just starting to pick up again and they passed The Iron Bull who was leading Corwyn to the floor.  They turned and watched in surprise as the Quinari gathered the elf into his arms and lead her in in a dance.

Varric watched with amusement, not at the couple on the floor, but at the reactions from the nobles.  Finally he turned to Hawke, "You ready to go?"

"Definetly, my love.  This has been a long and interesting night.  Besides...  we have something to celebrate and I want to go for a swim in that tub!" Hawke grinned. Varric escorted his Lady to the entrance and called for their carriage.  The rest of the night, the Inquisition would be on their own, and wouldn't need them.


	7. Blackwall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dealing with Blackwall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to dedicate this chapter to Carrie Fisher. I know this story is far from a 'Star Wars' story, but I am a fan of Star Wars. I grew up watching episodes IV-VI and my first example of a strong woman was Princess Leia. May The Force Be With You, Carrie. Always.

They arrived back in Skyhold with both Varric and Hawke in a bit of a romantic daze.  Admitting he loved her; unrequited love finally being realized, that had left him in a bit of a high.  Not to mention finding out that the real thing was much better than the fantasy he had often used when he had 'alone time'.  Now, she'd agreed to become his wife.  Lady Hawke to become Lady Tethras.  Even at his age, he was surprised to find himself giddy.  He had laughed at Orzammar dwarves, new to the surface, being afraid of floating up into the sky; but now he feared he might actually do so, and it was wonderful.  That was, until Ruffles had started making plans with Cassandra about the wedding.

The Seeker was already a bit star-struck about Hawke, apparently a fan, but to have her favorite hero and author make such a dramatic declaration of their love twice while she wasn't there to see it...  Her revenge was to help Ruffles plan an elaborate ceremony at Skyhold.  Neither of them could be swayed from the idea, not by Hawke or Varric himself, and the Inquisitor was no help either.  She apparently found the whole thing hilarious.  

As they rode through the gates, listening to the two women discuss the appropriate flowers and drapery for the Great Hall, Hawke leaned over to Varric, "We should have eloped in Halamshiral."

"We still have time.  I'm sure somebody in Redcliffe would perform a hasty ceremony." Varrric commented back.

"You do realize that both of them have pleaded with me to keep my best spies on you so that you don't." Leliana laughed beside them, making them both groan.

After they dismounted and handed off their horses, Hawke turned to Varric.  "I've never really thought about this before, but what are dwarven marriage customs?" 

Varric sighed, and noticed Ruffles and the Seeker inching closer.  "Well, in Orzammar the noble families expect a dowry payment, permission from the head of the House, and approval from the Assembly.  We're also supposed to be of the same caste.  I'm head of House Tethras and so, I give permission and decree 'No Dowry.'  I could probably pass you off as merchant caste with all your dealings back in Kirkwall, but unless you suddenly turn dwarva we wouldn't get approval from the Assembly."

Hawke looked more than a bit disappointed.  "So, we can't get married?"

Varric smiled, "My Lady, you know that I'm not so traditional.  Hell, the only reason I know all of that is because Mother had the paperwork already drawn up in her will for both Bartrand and I when she died.  All that was needed was the names of our lovely dwarven wives-to-be.  I know I ripped up and burned the papers with my name on them as soon as I found them."  He chuckled a the memory, and at Bartrand's ire that he'd done so.  

"The only thing I'm risking by marrying a human is the ire of the Assembly and the Merchant's guild, and our marriage and possible children not being recorded by the Shaperate.  The Assembly and Guild I can deal with.  The Shaperate, I don't care about.  We can be wed however you please, Hawke.  I can record it all better than the Shaperate anyway."  He winked.

Turning to their audience, "Does that answer any questions you had?"

The two ladies were embarrassed enough to blush and stammer apologies before walking away, whispering to each other.  Hawke watched them leave, "I don't think you did anything to hinder their plans."

"I doubt it.  If you want any say, you might want to follow them." Varric sighed.

"I'll take care of it." Isabella volunteered, before jogging up to the keep.

"Drinks?" Varric asked Hawke and Fenris, who both nodded.  They had split off from Aveline once they had cleared the Frostbacks.  The guards woman was heading home to Kirkwall, her husband and her duties, and it had been a tear filled departure.  

Corwyn and The Iron Bull followed them up to the Herald's Rest where, after ordering drinks and food, they got a table together.  There was, of course, one extra chair for when Isabella joined them.  

"So, Iron bull...  You and the boss, huh?  I'd love some impressions.  Imagery.  Something for my next book."  Varric pointedly ignored Corwyn's blush.

"Sorry.  That room is for her and me.  No one else invited."

"Safe harbor from the storm outside?" Varric smirked.

"All right, now you're just making it weird." Bull growled at the dwarf, who smirked back.

"She almost says the word.  Katoh.  She tastes it in her mouth, sweet release a breath away, tongue tying it tenderly... like you tie her.  But she doesn't.  For you, and for her, because it makes it mean more, a fuller feeling, a brighter burst."  Cole appeared before them sitting in Isabella's chair.

Bull coughed, glancing at the beet red Inquisitor.  "How's she feel about you saying this in front of  _everybody_?"

"Bull and I are consenting adults, and there's nothing wrong with what we choose to do in bed." Corwyn responded, her tone belieing the dark rose of her cheeks.

"Not just on the bed.  Sometimes its up against the wall.  Once on the war table."  Cole eagerly said.

Varric laughed outright, not even trying to smother his amusement.  Hawke tried to hide her laughter behind the dwarf's shoulder after shooting an apologetic look at the blushing elf.  "Listen, do whatever works for you.  You don't have to act  _restrained_ in front of us."  Varric snorted out.

"Moving on..." Fenris commented.  The poor elf's lyrium standing out more as he also blushed.

"But, you act like you're in charge, The Iron Bull, but it's really her.  She decides when, and you measure it carefully, enough to enjoy, to energize, but never to anger.  She is tied, teased, tantalized, but it's tempered to what she wants.  She submits, but you serve."

"Do you mind, Kid?  If you take away all the mystery, its not quite as hot." Bull chuckled.

"Bull, yes it is." Corwyn answered.

"Right!  My mistake.  Carry on, Kid."

"What's an Orlesian Tickler?" Cole asked.

"I'll tell you when your older."  Bull growled.

"No, you won't" Cole sounded a little confused.

"No.  I won't." Bull firmly said.

Varric was barely able to keep his snickers to himself.  "Well, thanks Kid.  You've made Bull answer my question."

"Uh, you're welcome?" Cole sounded very confused, in his innocence.

"So, what did I miss?" Isabella pulled over another chair, and sat her mug of ale down.  She looked surprised and confused at Fenris when Varric started guffawing out loud. She looked around the table, at Hawke's amused glances, Corwyn and Fenris' blushes, Bull looking at his drink and Cole looking around equally confused.  "Well, whatever that was, it must have been grand."

"I'll tell you later." Fenris said to her.

"Damn right you will." Isabella returned.

"SO!  What do you think is going on with Blackwall?" Corwyn almost shouted, trying to change the subject.  "Leliana's people found him, we think.  While we were gone, she had her people search the stables.  They found a report that she didn't get about a man, Cyril Mornay, going on trial in Val Royeaux.  She thinks he's gone to the trial."

"Well, I guess we're going to Val Royeaux to find out his interest in this person." Bull commented, Corwyn nodding emphatically.

"Who are you going to  _restrain_ here, and who are you taking with you?" Varric asked.  "I wouldn't expect you to  _tie_ anyone down who was interested."

"Varric..." Hawke said warningly.  "Let it go."

"Fine, fine.  Spoilsport." Varric said to Hawke, loving eyes turning to her.  

"I missed something big." Isabella said, glancing around.

 

~*~

 

Corwyn led Varric, Hawke, Bull and Solas, and Hawke's guard of Isabella and Fenris, into a crowd calling for blood in front of a man, obviously a prisoner, and a guard on the gallows in the center of Val Royeaux.  The guard called out, reading from a scroll the charges, asking the man if he had a defense.  The crowd called out, crying for blood.  It seemed more for show than justice to those assembled.

"Well, this is grim." Varric commented, as the the Hangman secured the noose around the prisoner's neck.

Suddenly Blackwall appeared, climbing the steps to the gallows.  The Guard recognized him as a Grey Warden.  Blackwall called out Cyril's innocence.  He told the assembled crowd that Cyril was a soldier who was just following orders given by somebody else.  "He shouldn't die for that mistake."

"Then find me the man who gave the order." The guard commanded.

"Oh, shit." Varric said, realizing what was going to happen.

"Blackwall!" Corwyn cried out.  

The Warden turned to her, singling her out in the crowd, before admitting, "No.  I am not 'Blackwall'.  I never was 'Blackwall'.  Warden Blackwall is dead, and he has been for years.  I assumed his name to hide, like a coward, from who I really am."

Cyril looked at 'Blackwall', "You, after all this time..."

"Its over, I'm done hiding."  He turned to the crowd.  "I gave the order.  The crime is mine.  I am Thom Rainier."  The crowd gasped at the admission as the guard lead Blackwall, Rainier... whoever, off.  

Corwyn turned to her companions with a confused and concerned look.  "We have to figure this out.  Why he did this."

Bull, a concerned look on his face, responded, "Go.  I have your back."  Varric nodded emphatically.

"No, Varric.  You and Hawke are here to shop for your wedding.  Solas and Bull will accompany me to the dungeons.  You do what you need to do."  

"Like I can shop for a wedding with this going on." Hawke responded, but she growled and turned to Fenris, "You go with her in Varric's place.  We don't need our Inquisitor taken."

The Inquisitor ran off; Bull, Solas and Fenris, behind her.  Varric looked up at Hawke, a bit at a loss.  Hawke shrugged and looked at Isabella.  "Well, if we're told to shop by the Inquisitor herself, who are we to argue?" The Pirate responded.

The trio walked around the shops in Val Royeaux and made a couple of purchases for the wedding; silks and fine fabrics were scheduled to be delivered to Skyhold in a week's time.  Josephine had sent them with a list of items for both Hawke and Varric's attire, even though the Champion of Kirkwall had insisted that she could wear the same dress she had to the Winter Palace.  The combined forces of the Ambassador, the Seeker and the Spymaster had succeeded in ordering them to make this the event of the season for Skyhold.  Hawke and Varric had grudgingly agreed, if only for the moral of the citizens of Skyhold.  Everybody needed something to celebrate in this time.  Something to lift a mug and drink to.

After a time, the half hearted shopping was finished and the trio found themselves at a table at some ritzy Orlesian open air restaurant trying the little cakes that Val Royeaux was known for.  They were right down the street from the palace and the entrance to the dungeons, waiting for the Inquisitor to make a reappearance.  When she finally did make an appearance, they quickly packed it in and joined the group.

"What happened?" Hawke asked, before Varric could.

"Well, it seems that Rainer was chosen by Blackwall to join the Wardens.  Unfortunately, Blackwall was killed by darkspawn, and Rainer decided to take his place.  Rainier does not deny ordering to kill that lord or his family, although he claims that the he didn't know the family would be there."

"Why did he do it?" Varric asked.

"Gold.  He was paid to kill the lord, who was one of Gaspard's generals, to tip the balance in the war.  Of course, when it all came to light, the man who paid him denied every involvement.  When he became hunted, he ran.  His men have paid the price, so far.  That's when Blackwall found him."

'"Do you believe him?" Iron Bull asked.

Corwyn sighed deeply.  "I don't know.  He believes it, with every part of himself."

"He believed his own story well enough for everybody else to." Varric commented.  "If you don't believe you're own stories nobody will."

"Is that how you've sold so many, Varric?" Hawke commented, her voice filled with irony.

The blonde dwarf chuckled, "Yea."

"Well." Corwyn interrupted.  "I don't know what I think, but I have to figure it out.  Cullen is having Leliana pull some strings and bring him to Skyhold for me to judge."

"What does the Commander think?" Bull asked.

"Well, he says he dispises him for abandoning his men like he did.  I agree, but Cullen also says he respects him for the atonement he's done since then, and for giving himself up finally.  I agree with that also, but here or with the Inquisition, he's risking death." Corwyn answered.  She was obviously in deep thought as she said it.

"Lets head back to Skyhold.  I assume you finished your shopping trip." Iron Bull said, taking charge.  The Inquisitor nodded, slightly, in agreement.  She was obviously lost in thought over what she was going to have to decide regarding someone she had thought of as a friend.

 

~*~

 

The next few weeks seemed to fly by.  While Hawke was dragged to meeting after meeting with Josephine, Leliana and Cassandra about the wedding, Corwyn was often found walking the battlements lost in thought.  Two weeks after their return from Val Royeaux, jailers brought Blackwall/Rainier in a jail wagon.  He was escorted, in chains, into one of Skyhold's cells.  It was the next day that Hawke was sitting alone, reading, in Herald's Rest while Varric was doing his hated guild paperwork.  A shadow fell over her, and Hawke looked up.

"Mind if I join you?" Corwyn asked Hawke, who gestured to a chair.  They sat a few minutes in silence before Corwyn turned to Hawke and asked, "How did you do it?  Judge Anders?"

Hawke snorted mirthlessly into her mug.  "I really didn't.  The man had literally just blown up the Kirkwall Chantry right in front of me.  There were hundreds of people in there, from the sisters to the mothers, including our Grand Cleric, and who knows how many parishioners.  And to make matters worse, he did it in front of the Night Commander, the First Enchanter, some of their people and a crowd outside.  I didn't have much of a choice."

"You don't seem like an Andrastian, to be so concerned for the clergy."

"I am, a bit.  I'm not devout but no matter what, they were people.  What bothered me most was that he always preached about mage equality, which is something I believe in, but he went about it the wrong way.  I understand his anger, that he felt they were moving too slow, but killing all those people was not the answer."

"So, do you think I should... " Corwyn started to ask, but Hawke held up her hand.

"I know what your going to ask, and I can't answer it.  I will say this.  If I hadn't killed Anders, if I'd let him go instead...  He wouldn't have ever felt remorse for his actions.  He was so much of a fanatic to his cause that he believed in it fully, and nobody who thought differently, even a tiny bit differently, was right.  He would argue with you for hours over the tiniest detail, the tiniest difference of opinion.  If you don't believe me, ask Varric or Isabela."

"Not Fenris?"

"Not Fenris.  Fenris and he never got along, because they were from completely different sides to that coin.  Not that he's completely anti-mage, and Fenris has mellowed a little bit of the years, but as a rule, he still treats mages with distrust.  He's still one of my best friends, and I'm his, but he's also the one I trust the most if I were to be come possessed of a demon that he'd do what needed to be done.  Varric loves me too much for me to even ask him that, and in her way, so does Isabela.  The point I'm trying to make is that Anders would never have done what Blackwall has done.  He never would have tried to atone for what he did, even if in Blackwall's case he did it in a way nobody knew it was really Rainer."

Hawke watched Corwyn, who was staring at the table, really thinking about what she'd been told.  Finally, she nodded and got up.  "I might go talk to them.  But you've given me more to consider."

 

~*~

 

Later that night, Hawke was getting ready for bed while Varric sat in bed reading.  At least, she thought he was.  "So, Corwyn came to me this afternoon.  Asked about Anders and why you did what you did after he blew up the chantry."  

"And...?"

"I told her that he was an ass who didn't feel remorse for the lives he'd taken, and wouldn't feel remorse if he'd survived that day.  If you had let him go, I would have put a bolt between his eyes."  Varric thought a moment, "And maybe one up his ass for good measure, just to make sure I got his head."

Hawke snorted at the thought of just how far Anders head was up his own ass.  She crawled into bed beside the dwarf and curled up against him, her hand resting on his chest.  She idly stroked her fingers through his hair while she stared at the fire, her ring glinting in the candle light.  She didn't notice what she was doing, and didn't notice his breathing increase.

"Marian, if you keep that up, I'm going to hope you aren't still thinking about Anders."  Varric marked his place in his book and set it aside before turning back to Hawke.  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.  

"Anders who." Hawke whispered against his shoulder while he nuzzled her neck.

 

~*~

 

The next day, Corwyn called her inner circle of friends together, along with Hawke, Isabela and Fenris.  Corwyn waited in her throne as her friends gathered.  Once they were assembled, she nodded to the guard who left to bring in Blackwall.  Once their friend had been brought forth, in chains, he was pushed into position before Corwyn.  Josephine stepped forward.

"For judgement this day, Inquisitor, I must present Captian Thom Rainier, formerly known to us as Warden Blackwall.  His crimes... Well, you are aware of his crimes.  The decision of what to do with him is now your's."

The Inquisitor stared down her from her dias a moment longer.  "I didn't think this would be easy, but its harder than I thought."

"Another thing to regret."  Rainer commented.

"Not even a word of thanks, I see."  Corwyn returned.

"You could have left me there, I accepted my punishment.  I was ready for all this to end.  Why would you stop it?  What becomes of me now?"

Corwyn remained silent a moment, her last few to make up her mind, if she hadn't already.  When she spoke, it was quiet, but firm.  "Blackwall intended you join the Wardens.  I will let them decide your fate, but only when Corypheus is dead.  For now, Thom Rainier, the Inquisition needs you."

"As you command."  Rainier responded.

"Blackwall gave you the chance to atone through action, not merely punishment, and I find I can do no less.  I am told that not all survive The Joining, and that the life of a Grey Warden can be difficult." Corwyn stated.

"If I die, it will be no less than I deserve.  And if I live, I will make it count.  I am grateful and I will serve as long as I can." Blackwall turned to have his chains removed, before striding out of the Great Hall.

Varric leaned towards Hawke, "That wasn't quite what I expected, but we shall see how it turns out."

"Indeed."  Hawke responded, matching his low tone.

"Now that this business is concluded, Champion, I believe we were going to discuss refreshments for your wedding.  Varric, would you join us?" Josephine walked over to them. 

"Not on your life, Ruffles." Varric smiled sweetly to her.  As the Ambassador dragged Hawke off, his bride looked over her shoulder at him, her blue eyes meeting his.  If she could come up with a spell to make her eyes really shoot daggers, he was sure she'd be using it now.

He turned to his table to go back to paperwork he didn't finish the day before.  As he sat down he found Dorian standing over him.  "Varric, I'd heard you had a friend from Tevinter."

"I have several.  My cousin married a Magister, for one."

"No Varric.  I mean one residing here.  I thought maybe if you introduced us, he could help me go through the Tevinter texts for information on Corypheus."

"Uh, no, Sparkler.  You may want to meet him, but he wouldn't want to meet you.  And he wouldn't be able to help with the texts."

"Why not?  I'm charming enough, I don't know why we couldn't work together." Dorian sounded genuinely confused.

"Well, for one, he doesn't like mages..."

"If that's all..."

"Its not.  Tell me something, Sparkler.  Did you ever know a Magister named 'Danarius?" Varric asked, hiding none of his seriousness in his voice or face.  He waved Dorian to a chair, which the altus took.

"Well, my father did.  He wasn't of my peer group, you see.  Nasty piece of work, that one.  I heard he'd gone to Kirkwall and hadn't returned.  No loss."

"And how much of my book about Hawke did you read?"

"I haven't gotten very far in.  I only started reading it when you brought her here to us, due to curiosity.  Since then I've been too busy researching to read it."

"Did you get to the part about our angry porcupine elf?"

"Er, no."

Varric sighed, "Didn't get very far then, did you.  Fenris was one of Danarius' slaves.  He'd escaped him.  He ended up killing every hunter Danarius sent after him, even his apprentice.  Finally, Danarius himself came to Kirkwall to recapture Fenris himself.  It wasn't just an escaped slave he was after, but the lyrium that he'd put under Fenris' skin.  We all had a hand in killing him, and based on the stories I heard from Fenris about him, none of us regret it."

"As I said, no loss there.  But based upon what my father told me about the man, I can imagine how he treated his slaves."  Doran sighed.  "Well, I suppose I could introduce myself to him and apologize for his treatment but I will use your discression, Varric."

"I think that will be best."

"Varric, Isabela wanted to know if you wanted to join us for lunch.  Personally, I think she's going to yell at you for not helping Hawke."  Fenris asked as he walked up.  Varric stiffened as he saw Dorian turn to the former slave.

Fenris eyed the mage sitting with Varric.  He knew it was a mage, due to the staff.  The man looked very sure of himself and arrogant.  All but his eyes, which looked at him with sorrow.  Fenris stiffened.  "Remove your eyes from me, mage, before I remove them from you." He growed.

"Pardon me.  Varric." Dorian got up and started to walk away.

"Your from the Imperium." Fenris growled and pulled his sword and lit his lyrium as he recognized the accent.

"Fenris.  Don't." Varric calmly said.  The calm in his voice belied the tenseness in which he held himself.  He truly didn't know which one he would defend, if it came to that.

Dorian stopped and turned back to the elf.  "I am.  I cannot say that I knew your former master, but my father did.  I cannot say that I held with what he stood for, nor entertained his way of thinking.  Blood magic is a horrible and horrifying way to get power."

"But you own slaves, do you not?" Fenris growled.

"I do not." Dorian answered, gravely.  "My father does, its true, and I grew up with them.  I did not treat them as less than people, and I will not be owning slaves when I return.  I will have paid servants, but not slaves."

Fenris lowered his sword.  Varric relaxed marginally and gestured with his head to the guards that had also drawn weapons and crept up behind the elf.  They returned their blades to their scabbards and walked away, certain that Varric would handle the situation.  

"Join me for a drink, Sparkler?" Varric murmured.  He knew he could use one now, and he could see Fenris relaxing more as he considered what Dorian had said.  "Can we join you, Broody?"

The elf slid his sword to his back and nodded briskly.  They walked down to Herald's Rest together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knew that if I had Fenris in Skyhold for any length of time, he and Dorian would meet. I'd been thinking about how that would go for a while. Would Fenris outright try to kill Dorian? Would Dorian be forced to kill Fenris in defense? I think we can all agree that Fenris would not be happy to find the Tevinter Mage there. I hope I kept true to the characters with this situation, especially since my Hawke was a mage who befriended Fenris in DA2.


	8. Of Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year Y'all!

Hawke kissed Varric one more time before he climbed onto his pony and rode out with the Inquisitor, Dorian and Bull.  They were off to Emprise du Lion, after more rumors of red lyrium.  Hawke had wanted to go too, but Josephine wanted her to stay so they could finalize plans for the wedding.  

She and Varric had finally accepted that instead of a nice quiet ceremony, surrounded by their friends, there was going to have to be an elaborate ceremony.  They both would have been happier with the smaller one, but such were the expectations for a Merchant Prince and the Champion of Kirkwall.  Maybe the day would come when they could both retire into quiet obscurity, with no expectations.  

The day was spent finalizing decisions about flowers and food, with an appointment for a final dress fitting later.  Truth to tell, if Hawke had to so much as look at any more rich Orlesian pastries again she might go vomit.  Not that they weren't delicious, but lately the idea of them had been turning her stomach.  She'd simply had too many of them in too many different styles that she couldn't look at them anymore.  Hawke sighed, the Inquisition cook couldn't be talked into any of Kirkwall's more simple fair.  Only the best for the Champion!  She was getting damn tired of hearing those words, she thought to herself as she sipped an afternoon tea.  She'd be happy when all of this was over.  It seemed like by the time she was done with any session, she had a sour stomach.  Speaking of, it was time for her fitting.

Hawke gulped down the last of her now warm tea, putting the cup aside, she got up and went through one of the doors out of the Great Hall and up the stairs to the Inquisitor's room.  They were keeping the dress up there, away from Varric, just like they'd done with her dress to the Winter Palace.  When Corwyn was in residence, it didn't bother her that they were doing this in her private chamber as she was usually out and about by now.  With her gone, they could utilize the room without bothering her or her schedule.  Vivienne waited at the top of the stairs.

"Come along, Darling.  They finally have applied the lace and the last of the embroidery to the bodice.  It looks lovely and I cannot wait to see it on you."  

She did have to admit that Vivienne had an eye for fashion, and what looked good on a person.  The mage had been reqruited to the cause by Josephine, and once you got past her haughtiness, she wasn't a half bad person to be around.  It seemed that once she had a project, Vivienne attacked it with with a fervor Hawke hadn't seen outside the battlefield.  

Topping the last few stairs, she turned into the room and took off her outer mage robe.  More like a long duster than the traditional mage robes, Hawke could never bring herself to wear what was essentially a dress every day.  It was completely impractical running around Kirkwall in a dress.  Instead she'd had the duster fashioned by Varric's tailor, and wore light armor like a rogue.  As she pulled off the leather pants, after her boots, leaving her in nothing but her breast band and smalls, she slipped the delicate slippers they'd ordered onto her feet.  

The shoes were soft and pliable white leather that were decorated in small pink roses.  The pink of the threads used in the embroidery was so barely pink that it was barely a blush.  The dress was also white with the barely pink roses embroidered down the front.  They faded to roses that completely matched the color of the dress along the long sweeping skirts that were floor length and swept out to a train.  Hawke did have to admit that the dress was gorgeous, and she couldn't wait for Varric to see her in it.

So far he'd only seen her in a dress for the ball at the Winter Palace.  She hadn't even worn one for Aveline's wedding all those years ago.  The seamstress and Vivienne helped her step into the dress and slide it up over her shoulders.  The bodice had a built in corset, so the seamstress knelt behind her and started lacing her into the dress.  While they waited, Vivienne started playing with her hair, studying it.  

"I'm glad Lady Montilyet was able to talk you into growing out your hair, I'm not sure we had many options of what to do with it when you first came here.  Now, blossoms, I think, and a braid to match your simple style.  One of those artfully loose ones, hmmm..." Vivienne's voice trailed off.

"Lady Vivienne, she 'as gained some weight, but it iz not enough that we have to let out the dress.  Should she gain more..." The Orlesian seamstress let the warning hang.

Vivienne looked down at Hawke's waist and tutted.  "Well, she was on the run when she arrived.  I would imagine the fine food is finally helping her gain some weight.  Now, I think you should start watching how much you eat.  We wouldn't want the big day to arrive and the dress not fit, My Dear.  Now, step over here, and lets check the hemline."  

Hawke picked up her skirt and allowed herself to be led to a small step stool.  Once she stood on it, she let the skirt fall.  In front of her was a full length mirror, and she did have to admit that the dress was amazing.  The bodice had a sweetheart neckline with sheer straps that went over her shoulders, but did nothing to hold up the dress.  It was beautiful, and she looked beautiful in it.  Too bad her mother and sister would never see her in it.  Her mother was so looking forward to the day she would see her children married, and since Bethany had died and Carver had gone to the Grey Wardens, Marian was her only hope.  

Thinking back on it, Hawke wondered if her mother saw something between Varric and herself that they didn't even know was there.  Once they'd gotten the estate back, her mother had insisted on introducing her to the young eligible bachelors of the nobles.  Right before she'd died, for some reason she'd backed off.  Hawke had been sure that she'd run out of prospects, but now she wondered if Leandra had seen something that Hawke and Varric hadn't yet.  Hawke brushed away a tear and quickly stood up straight and still again, before the seamstress could glare at her.  

Once the dress hung from Hawke in a way that satisfied both the seamstress and Vivienne, they let her change back into her leathers and sent her on her way.  Hawke took herself down to the Herald's Rest and sat down with Isabela.  She'd planned on relaxing the rest of the evening, but somehow it didn't feel right.  Maybe because Varric wasn't there, but whatever it was, after a few drinks and some food, Hawke excused herself and went back up to the room she shared with Varric.  She lit the fire to fight off the mountain chill and curled up in bed with a book.  She'd decided to finally read the Tale of the Champion, but more and more she was finding herself writing notes on paper and sticking them in the pages.  Most of the notes read, 'That's not how it happened, Varric.'

 

~*~

 

A week went by, similar to that first day, sans the wedding planning.  Everything that could be arranged before hand, had.  Now Hawke found herself practicing her mage craft with Solas, eating and drinking in the tavern with Isabela, Fenris and the Chargers, and practicing a new skill; archery.  Each night found her going to bed relatively early, inexplicably exhausted.  Not that she was normally the melancholy sort, she figured she just missed Varric, now that they'd found each other.  

One evening, about two weeks later, she was writing a letter to Aveline.  She was curled up in bed again, and catching the Guardswoman up on what was going on.  She hoped that Aveline, Donnic and Merril would be able to come out to the wedding in a months time, but she wasn't sure if it would happen.  As she wrote, she went over an encounter she'd had with Cullen earlier.

It seemed that the former Night Captain was concerned for her health.  She'd always liked the man, had truly enjoyed flirting with him just to make him blush.  Today, Cullen said he was worried for her, apparently several people had figured that she was pining away for Varric.  While she did love her dwarf, and had always had him by her side for years, she also knew how to survive without him.  She just been really tired, not pining...  Right?  She sighed, maybe she should get one of the healers to check her out in the morning.

 

Varric rode through the portcullis of Skyhold behind Bull and the Inquisitor.  He eagerly scanned the crowd that was assembling that was taking their supplies and mounts, but he didn't see Hawke.  As he dismounted, he tried not to let his disappointment show.  He would have thought that Hawke would have been at the tavern, and would have heard the bell ring that the Inquisitor had returned.  He made his way up the stairs to the tavern and went inside, looking for Hawke.  He found Isabela, drunk, and singing a rousing song with the Chargers.  He went over to Fenris who sat in the corner watching.  

"Where's Hawke?"  

"She went to your room several hours ago.  She's been keeping early hours since you left." Fenris told him.  

Varric gave him an odd look.  That didn't sound like Hawke.  "Is she feeling alright?"

"I don't know.  I heard that the Night Captain asked her that earlier today."

"Somebody sent Curly to ask her?  Why not Isabela?  She knows Hawke better."

"I don't know, it was somebody from the Inquisition who sent him."  

Varric nodded, got up from the table and went up to the keep.  He was worried about her now, as he climbed the stairs to the hall where his room was.  Varric took out his key and let himself into his room, to find Hawke asleep in the bed, the candles all lit, and a book on the bed with her.  He turned the lock and stripped down to his smalls before crawling into his bed.  He picked up the book to set it aside, and chuckled when he noticed that she was reading The Tale of the Champion, and that there were little notes sticking out from between several of the pages.  He pulled the first note out and chuckled again.  She was telling him what he got wrong in the book.  

"Poetic license, Love."  He murmured to the still sleeping Hawke and leaned down to kiss her forehead.  She didn't feel warm, any warmer than somebody curled up in a bed with a fire going should be.  Varric sighed and snuffed out the candles before pulling Hawke into his arms, pillowing her head on his chest.  The heat of her body next to his seemed to leech the bone chilling cold he'd felt since he'd gotten to Emprise du Lion.  This is what had kept him going; knowing he would return and have her curled next to him as he fell asleep.  He smiled to himself as he drifted off, feeling Hawke's warm breath across his chest, her arm around his waist.

 

Hawke woke slowly.  She felt the most comfortable she had in weeks, and didn't want to wake up.  She stretched languidly and rolled back towards the center of the bed, where she could grab Varric's pillow and smell him as she woke.  Her eyes snapped open as she realized that somebody was ON Varric's pillow.  Her surprise turned into something much warmer when she realized that the someone was Varric.  She snuggled in deeper to him, her arms around him and his heartbeat in her ear.  She felt his arm go around her and squeeze.  She looked up and he smiled before leaning down to kiss her.  She reached up and met him half way before it hit her.  

Varric was just starting to wake up, about to put his other arm around her to puller against his body when she suddenly sat up away from him.  She looked at him, and then ran to the water closet.

"I'd ask if you had too much to drink with Isabela, but I knows that's not true.  You're doing a lot of damage to my ego right now, Hawke."  Varric called after her, but concerned as he was last night he slipped off the bed.  He pulled his robe on before grabbing hers and bringing it in to her.  He'd taken his time, because he knew the sounds coming out of that room, and he, honestly, didn't want to go in after her.  He loved her dearly, and he was very worried about her, but vomit was not something he could easily handle.  When it sounded like the wrenching had stopped he went in and placed her robe over her shoulders.  Then he got a cup and poured a little water into it from the pitcher on the night table and waited for her to come out.

When she did, she gratefully accepted the cup and crawled back into bed.  Varric went over to to the bed, concern on his face.  "Marian, sweetheart?  What's wrong?"

Hawke struggled in her mind to deny what was starting to become glaringly obvious to her.  They were in the middle of a war!  She couldn't be thinking about this!  She was happy, certainly, but it wasn't really something she had thought about for the immediate future... Children was something she'd thought about for when they got back to Kirkwall, when Corypheus was finally killed.  She opened her eyes to find Varric kneeling on the floor next to the bed.  She could see the concern, the worry, in his amber eyes.  

"I should probably go to the healers today, but I think I know what's wrong." Hawke said.

"Marian, what is it?  Its bad isn't it, should I go get the healer now?"  Varric turned and started pulling on his trousers.  "I'm going to get a healer now."

"Varric, come here."  Hawke sat up and patted the bed.

Varric sighed and went over to the bed.  He was trying to calm himself down.  He had only just found what was right in front of him, and he wasn't going to lose it now.  When he sat next to her, she put herself into his arms, her head on his shoulder.  "What's going on, Marian?"

"Well, remember weeks ago when we were talking about dwarven marriage customs and you mentioned the Shaperate, and how they recorded all the marriages between noble houses...  and all the children?"

"Yes, that's their job, aside from recording history."  Varric was really confused.  Who cared about the Shaperate right now.  "Marian, what's going on?"

"Varric, I think I'm pregnant." Hawke lifted her head and glanced up at him.

The dwarf looked down at her astonished.  Flummoxed.  Absolutely and positively without words.  "Of all the things I'd thought you'd say....   Are you sure?"  

"Reasonably, although I only came to that conclusion this morning.  I should probably get a healer to make sure."

"Pregnant.  As in 'with child'.  As in 'fatherhood'.  As in..."

"Yes, all that, Master Tethras." Hawke laughed.  

Varric pulled her in for a kiss.  When he released her, she laughed at the astonishment still on his face.  Dwarves were not known for their high fertility rates, something about living near the darkspawn all this time.  And mixed races had an even lower fertility rate.  Hawke was surprised herself it had happened so quickly, which was why she hadn't been drinking any special teas to prevent it.  

"So, you're ok with this?" Hawke asked, shyly.

"Oh, Marian... Yes!  Yes I am.  I hadn't thought it would happen yet, or at all, but damn.  Yes!  I'm happy about this." Varric pulled her in for another kiss.  He was going to be a father.  And of Marian Hawke's child.  Years ago, if somebody had told him he would be fathering a child out of love on Hawke, he would have laughed at them.  A month ago, he would have told them he hoped they would have children someday, but he didn't think someday would be now.  He'd actually never seen a dwarven baby, let alone a human one.  Birthing celebrations was not something he'd been invited to at the Merchant's Guild, and the only human's he'd ever been close to were Aveline and the Hawke family.  No babies there yet... soon though.  He squeezed Marian again in a tight hug.  

"I love you, Varric." 

"I love you too, Marian.  Ancestors, how I love you.  This is a hell of a welcome home gift."

Marian laughed, "It wasn't entirely intentional, Love.  I should go see the healer now."  She moved out of his arms, her stomach feeling better.  She began to get dressed, while Varric finished getting dressed.  They went down to the Great Hall, and Varric got himself a plate of food, while Hawke continued down to the healers.  She had begged off breakfast, saying that she wasn't ready for it yet.  Varric sat at his table, nervously looking up whenever a shadow stretched from the door to the keep, while trying to concentrate enough to catch up on the his guild business.  It wasn't long before Cullen sat down at the table.

"Good morning Varric.  How did your trip to Emprise du Lion go?' The Commander of Inquisition forces asked.

"You know by now from Corwyn that it went well, Curly.  What's on your mind?" Varric asked, while glancing up at somebody else coming through the doors to get their breakfast.  

"I wanted to talk to you about Hawke."  Curly looked at him, concern on his face.

"What about her?" 

"Well, she hasn't been herself lately.  Josephine said that at their last meeting, Hawke was quite sullen.  She's been keeping odd hours...  Hasn't been acting herself."

"Odd for you, Curly?  Does that mean she's been getting sleep? Or none at all?" Varric chuckled.

"We were thinking that maybe she needed a job.  Perhaps we could send her out on some of the Inquisition business we have, like out to the Dales, perhaps."  Cullen watched the dwarf's face.

"I don't think that will be a good idea, Curly.  Not for a while yet." Varric chuckled to himself, but his breath caught as he looked up at another long shadow to find Hawke coming through the doors, a radiant smile on her face.  

"Marian?" Varric asked, completely forgetting that Culllen was sitting at his table.

"Yes, Varric...  I'm pregnant!" Hawke told him as he pulled her in for another long hug, then picked her up and swung her around, Varric didn't care how cliche it was.  He let her down and placed his hand on her belly imagining his little nuglet growing inside Hawke's belly.  Reaching up, he pulled her down for another kiss, before he heard Cullen cough behind him.

"I, er...  It seems congratulations are in order."  Cullen said, standing up and putting out his hand to Varric.  Varric took his hand, shaking it, before he let him go and Cullen put his hand out to Hawke.  She slapped his hand aside and pulled him in for a hug, causing the former Templar to blush furiously.  

Varric laughed, "That's enough pawing my bride, Curly!" Varric pulled Hawke from Cullen's arms.

"I wasn't, I didn't...  Maker, you two..."  Cullen started to move off.

"Cullen, a moment, if you please."  Hawke asked.  Cullen turned back, a slightly disgruntled look on his face.  "Please keep this information to yourself for now.  I want to be the one to tell my friends and the Inquisition.

"Of course, Hawke.  I would expect no less from an expectant mother."  Cullen smiled and nodded before he walked out of the keep.

"Did I hear that correctly?" Hawke and Varric turned to Cassandra as she walked up to them, drawn by their excitement.  

"Yes, Seeker.  You probably did."  Varric didn't take his shining eyes off Hawke.

"We need to find Isabela, before she hears about it first."  Hawke said, turning.

"Agreed.  I can just imagine the revenge she'd get on us both."

The pair walked down to the tavern, each with an arm around the other.  All of those they passed could see they were lost in each other, and it lifted spirits around them.  If two people could find such happiness in the middle of a war, it gave them hope.

The pair walked into the tavern, where they found seats at the table that Isabela and Fenris had claimed.  The pair had aquired a room in the tavern, and spent all their time in Skyhold in the building.  

"What has you two so chipper this morning?  You look like two cats that got into the cream." Isabela commented.  She looked to be nursing a hangover

Hawke drew in a breath to make her announcement when she was interrupted by Cole settling into a chair beside her.  "Why does he look at you and think of nugs?  You're not having a nug."

Varric started chuckling at Cole's question, but when he turned to the confused looks on Isabela and Fenris' faces, the chuckles grew to laughter.  

"A nug, Varric?  Really?" Hawke chuckled.  "I've been calling it a dwarflet."

"It has her eyes, but your face.  Why would a baby look exactly like Varric?  And shaves?" Cole asked.

"Maker, don't curse it that way, Hawke!  And dwarven children don't have to shave from birth.  Ugh!"

"Wait!  Let me get this straight.  You're pregnant?" Isabela finally interjected.

Hawke smiled and laughed and put her hand on her still flat belly.  "Yep."

"And that's why you've been acting out of sorts.  Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't really figure it out until this morning."

"Well, Shit.  Cabot!  Drinks all around!!" Isabela called out.

"Make mine a juice, Cabot!" Hawke yelled, turning towards the bar keep.  She turned back to her friends.  "No drinking for me.  And the healer wants me to change my diet.  More vegetables and fruit, less greasy tavern food.  At least until my stomach settles, he said." 

"Make mine a double!" Isabela called out.

The rest of the day was spent in semi-celebration, the pair receiving well wishes everywhere they went.  By the time that evening came, the pair wandered up to the keep for a quiet meal, and Varric could tell that Hawke was getting worn down.  They each filled plates of food and sat at Varric's table, pushing aside his paperwork.  

"So, now that this is really going to happen, how does it work out with the Guild?"

"I'd already written my contacts about our wedding, and I was trying to go through some of the responses when you were down at the healers earlier.  I couldn't keep my mind on what they were saying, but the jist was that my businesses are too important for them to just let me go, but that they weren't happy.  My contacts in Orzammar might ignore me for a while, but they'll come around too.  House Tethras is already exiled.  There's not much they can do to me that way."

"What about your family?  Can they vote you out of being Head of House or something?" Hawke was genuinely interested.  She knew he did a lot of business, and was good at it, but she really didn't know much about Dwarven politics.  They tended to keep their businesses under wraps.  Varric included.

"Since none of them have the business sense I do, they have to accept it.  It will all actually be easier for me to do business, in a sense, since more people will want to do business with my cousin Elmand."

"The imaginary cousin?"

"It works out for me.  Less Guild meetings for me to go to, more business for him to attend to." Varric chuckled.  "Actually, having the nug now works out, since I won't have to go through this twice."

"Unless we have more nugs."  Hawke smiled.  

Varric looked up, warmth in his eyes at the thought.  He was about to be married, about to have his own family.  Once Corypheus was gone, life would be perfect.  He'd never really thought about having a family, mostly because he'd never thought he'd be able to be in love with Hawke.  And that kind of a relationship hadn't been a consideration with Bianca.  Now, those thoughts were in the fore front of everything he was thinking about.  He was going to have to set aside a fund for the nug.  He hoped he could live up to the image of 'Father' that Malcom Hawke had been for his children.  He certainly didn't have an example to follow, and Bartrand was certainly not a roll model.  

Hawke pulled his empty plate away from him and stacked it with hers, Varric barely noticed, so intent on staring into space.  She brushed her fingertips along his jaw, her nails making a heavy scratching sound through the hair growing there.  Varric smiled and turned his face into her hand, kissing her palm.  His eyes rose to hers, warm whiskey meeting her ice blue.  "What are you thinking about sweetheart?"

"I've never thought about a family, never really thought about getting married.  Not since Bianca, and she and I were going to be married.  But even then, before she left me, I never really felt like this about it all.  Then you came along and I got to know you.  Anything I felt for her paled in comparison to you, and I hoped one day to catch you're eye, but I didn't really think it would ever happen.  And now, " he pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her.  "Now, I'm going to be a husband and a father, all within a year.  I'm...   Ancestors, I can't even put this in words."

Hawke kissed his forehead before he tilted his neck and pulled her down for a kiss.  It was a deep kiss, but sweet.  The kiss ended when they heard Sera, "Oy...  You two!  Bugger off to your room!"

Holding eachother's hands they made their way up to their room, Hawke giggling the whole way.  Once in their room, she pulled him in for another kiss, but ruined any effect it may have had by yawning.  

"Go on, Marian.  Get ready for bed.  I need to shave, anyway."  Varric chuckled and pushed the unresisting mage towards the bed.

Once he was finished scraping the hair from his face, he turned, shirtless, into his room.  He paused, taking in the sight.  Hawke sat, curled into the bed, the candle light flickering across her features as she read his book.  It was a beautiful and mesmerizing image.  Especially knowing that in several months, it would be his child she had her head bent to at her breast, not a book held in front of her.  

"Come here, love.  I have to ask you a question."  Hawke said, without looking up.  Smiling, the dwarf walked across the room, discarding his shirt into the laundry, before following it with his breeches.  He slid into his bed beside Hawke, putting his hand on her stomach before leaning down to kiss her there.  

"Varric?" 

"Yes, Marian?"

"Why does this book say that Fenris and I were a thing?"

"Uh...  Poetic license?"  Varric looked up at Hawke.  "Readers like romance.  I felt he was the most likely option."

"Oh, Varric.  I wish you could have seen that you were the only option." Hawke leaned down to kiss him before putting the book aside on the bed.  The book was soon forgotten, tangled in the sheets that were kicked aside.  

 

~*~

 

The next day found Hawke down at the archery range.  She notched her arrow, pulled back the string and lined up her shot.  She loosed the arrow and watched it sail to the target, several inches off target, but still on the bull's eye.  

"Not bad.  With more practice your going to be a hell of a shot." Varric told her.

"You want to see something really fun?"  Hawke asked him, grinning from his praise.  At his nod, she pulled another arrow from her quiver, notched it, and pulled back the string.  She lined up her shot, whispered the word of a spell and let fly.  As soon as the arrow hit, slightly closer to target, the target was covered in ice, creeping out from the arrow.  She turned back to Varric with a raised eyebrow.

"You have a rune on your bow?" Varric asked, as he started to look over the bow, not seeing one.  

"Tell you what...  You go ahead and take a look.  In the mean time, let me borrow Bianca for a moment."  Hawke grinned.

"Sure, just be carefull with her, Hawke.  You know, she's a sensitive lady."  Varric took his crossbow from his back and handed her to Hawke.  

Hawke hefted the crossbow, much heavier than she looked.  No wonder Varric had the arms and chest that he did, Bianca was a heavy lady.  Hawke took a knee, released Bianca's arms and released the safety.  She lined up her shot, and whispered another word of spell.  She gently squeezed Bianca's trigger and let fly a bolt into her icy target.  Instantly the target erupted into flames.

"What the hell?!"  Varric asked, astounded.  He knew he hadn't put a fire rune on Bianca... recently he'd added a rune to help him take down demons, but it wasn't a fire rune.  "What did you do?!"

Hawke handed Bianca back to Varric, a wide grin splitting her face.  "When I was practicing a couple of weeks ago, I was angry and mumbling to myself about it.  Well, I must have mumbled the right set of words, because my arrow caught the target on fire.  I've since figured out how to use fire, ice and electricity spells on the arrows.  I'd like to figure out how to use more than one; could you imagine being frozen and electrocuted?" Hawke explained excitedly.

Varric watched the target at the end of the range melt and burn merrily while she explained.  The possibilities.  "And you didn't need your staff."  

"Nope.  Hell, the first time I did it, I didn't even have my staff on me."

"Well.  I think you should keep practicing.  You're aim and the magic.  And keep this to the Inquisition.  This is a nice surprise, or a nasty one if you happen to be on the receiving end."

Hawke grinned.  "I was thinking about talking to Dagna about runes... learn what they can do, and see if I can copy it without the need for a rune.

Varric remained silent, the possibilities running through his head.  Not that he expected her to enchant the weapons of the whole Inquisition, but this still was very interesting.  It it was no surprise she had come up with it.  Most mages didn't have time to learn a different style of fighting, and boredom was all that had brought Hawke's idle fingers to archery.  Not that it was a bad thing for anybody to have a backup.  He, for instance, always carried a number of hidden knives on him.  They had been his weapon of choice before he'd aquired Bianca.

"Lets go talk to Dagna now.  I'm interested in what she might come up with."  Varric commented, still in thought.  Hawke picked up her bow and quiver and they walked towards the keep.


	9. Get me to the Chantry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding bells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW, at the end of the chapter!!

The next few weeks flew by.  Dagna had been very interested in what Hawke was doing with her arrows, and the pair met daily to go over ideas, and what the little dwarf had discovered.  Wedding planning had progressed, Varric subjected himself to being fitted for his outfit, which Hawke hadn't seen either.  Merril, Aveline and Donnic had arrived a week before the wedding.  Carver had sent a letter wishing his sister well, warning Varric to treat her right and complaining about the timing since he wouldn't be able to attend.  Aveline also brought a ring Hawke had commissioned from Kirkwall for Varric.  The ring was gold, and engraved with the Tethras crest on one side, the Hawke crest on the other.

The morning of the wedding, Hawke found herself in Cullen's tower, and the poor Commander kicked out of his office.  Originally they were going to get her ready in the Inquisitor's suite, but it was decided that there was no good way to get her from there to the entrance of the Great Hall without half of Skyhold seeing her.  So, there she sat, with Isabela once again applying kohl and eye makeup and lip stain, while Vivienne watched Merril braiding flowers into her hair.  Aveline was even submitting herself to being made up, as she was going to be Hawke's matron of honor.  Once the braiding and the makeup were done, they helped her into her dress and slippers.  

 

Varric finished tying a gold sash around his waist and then looked at himself in the mirror.  He'd insisted on keeping his earings, but his necklace was on the bedside table.  His white shirt hung open, of course, but he felt strange without the weight of the ring of gold laying just below his throat.  He'd shaved that morning and his hair was down, as Hawke had insisted.  He'd opted for no jacket, and was happy with that, due to the unusually warm day.  His light fawn colored breeches were tucked into his polished black boots.  He looked at himself in the mirror, both pleased with the look and a little surprised.  He looked good, really good, but he also thought he looked like the hero from the covers of some of Cassandra's books. 

His preparations completed, he placed the new ring he'd sent for from Kirkwall in his pocket.  Aveline had brought it with her and given it to him the day before.  It was a very simple thin gold band to fit next to the sapphire one Hawke already wore.  His preparations done, he looked at the crossbow leaning against the wall.  He went over to her and stroked her stock, "Sorry, sweetheart.  You're going to have to sit this one out.  You're my first love, but she's my heart"

Varric came down the stairs and entered the Great Hall.  Donnic was already there, greeting guests he didn't know, with Fenris standing stoiclly behind him.  They both wore the same style fawn breeches that he did, but their shirts were light gray to his white.  He smiled when he saw that both of their shirts were open, similarly to his, in full tribute to 'The Chest Hair'.  

When the crowd had finished filing in, they took their places at the end of the Great Hall.  Corwyn's chair had been moved out and it was replaced by a makeshift Chantry alter, in front off which stood Mother Giselle.  Some of the pots of Chrystal Grace that Corwyn had planted in the garden were placed around the alter.  

A rousing cheer rent the air outside, signaling the start of the ceremony.  The guards and soldiers outside were cheering at the bride as she made her way across the bridge from Cullen's office to Solas' rotunda.  As he waited for the first of the ladies to appear, Varric glanced around the crowd.  He spotted Cassandra, while not in armor, but not in a dress.  She wore a flowing tunic with a white canvas corset and light colored breeches.  Beside her, Iron Bull wore what he normally would, and his Chargers were scattered behind him.  Cole sat near the Bull, and Varric was surprised to see that somebody had talked him out of his hat, and that his hair was brushed back from his face.  Dorian stood near them, his shirt open to the breeze much like Varric's.  Vivienne, who arrived after helping the bride get ready, was wearing a flowing dress of gold.  Beside her was Josephine and Sera, one her her finery, the other in the same patched clothes she always wore.  Blackwall, Solas and Leliana all had arranged themselves in the back.  Blackwall and Solas both seemed to be watching, but excluded themselves from the proceedings, for reasons of their own.  Leliana, Varric noticed, watched with the eyes of a bard as she mentally noted every detail, observed every nuance.

There was a collective sigh, as Merril walked into the Great Hall from the side.  Her pale pink dress flowed around her, matching the blush of her cheeks.  Several steps behind her walked Corwyn, also in a matching pale pink.  The cut of the dresses on them was very similar, but the only thing that linked them to what Isabela wore was the color.  The pink off set by the pirates dark skin; she was striking, and she knew it.  Next Aveline walked behind, her dress started pale pink and drifted down into a dark maroon ombré, the color somehow complementing her red hair instead of making it more carroty.

Varric held his breath.  The last time he'd stood similarly to this, his bride had left him at the alter.  He released his breath in a hiss when he saw Cullen's blonde head though the crowd.  The Commander of the Inquisition forces led his bride around the turn to the aisle.  They paused, and Cullen straightened Hawke's train before taking her arm again.  He leaned toward her, commenting to her about something.  Varric barely noticed, his eyes on his bride and he was surprised to feel a tear slip down his cheek.  Brushing it away, he stepped down the dias to meet Cullen and Hawke.

Cullen kissed Hawke's cheek and then placed her hands in Varric's, "Be good to her, Dwarf."

"I could do no less.  If something happened to her, it would kill me too." Varric said.  He hadn't taken his eyes from hers through the whole exchange.  He reached up to cup her face with his large hands, whiping a tear away with one of his thumbs.  "I love you, Marian."

"I love you too, Varric."  

"And I'd love to perform this ceremony, before you kiss your bride."  Mother Giselle smiled.  Varric drew his thumb across her cheek one more time before taking her hand again and placing it on his arm.  He led her back up the step and paused in front of Mother Giselle.

Mother Giselle spoke about uniting couples and the sanctity of marriage before the Holy Andraste, but Varric would later admit he didn't hear a word of it.  Finally she gestured that it was time for him to say his vows, and he got the impression from her that she'd tried to get his attention a few times.

"I, Varric Tethras, swear unto the Maker and the Holy Andraste to love this woman the rest of my days.  I swear to provide and care for her and our children, until the Maker sees fit to call me to his side."  He pulled the ring out of his pocket and slid it onto her finger in front of the one he'd already given her.

"I, Marian Giselle Amell Hawke, swear unto the Maker and the Holy Andraste to love this man the rest of my days.  I swear to provide and care for him and our children, until the Maker sees fit to call me to his side."  She reached behind her to take the ring that Aveline passed to her, and slipped it onto his finger.

"You may kiss your wife, Messere Tethras."

Varric reached up, and pulled his wife (his WIFE!) down into a dip, before placing a chaste kiss on her lips.  Her arms encircled his neck and pulled him in for a deeper one, the the delight of those in the crowd.  

Varric pulled Hawke back up and put her arm in his.  He led her back down the aisle to the entrance of the keep.  There they stood, thanking everyone for coming and all the assembled filed out to the buffet that was assembled outside.  The kitchen staff and the staff in the Herald's Rest had worked since the early morning hours working on food for the whole keep.  The guests filtered down and as the last left, Hawke looked down at her husband.

"We could sneak off now, nobody's looking."  She grinned.

"I think they'd follow us." Varric responded, looking up at her and pulled her into his arms.  "You are beautiful.  Maker's Breath, Marian.  I've never seen you look more lovely.  I wasn't sure that Curly had the right girl."  

"Beast." Hawke murmured as she leaned down to kiss him again.  She felt him ghost his hands up the back of her dress to her bare skin above.  She let out a soft moan as he shifted her position and began to place kisses on the top of her breasts right along the line of her dress.  They almost felt strange, with him being clean shaven. 

"You two having a good time?"  A voice asked.  

Varric sighed and released Hawke.  She looked over his head, curiously, at the person who had spoken.  He saw her glance down at him, and he mouthed 'I love you' before he turned around and crossed his arms over his chest.  "What do you want, Bianca."

"Bianca?" Hawke asked.  

Varric sighed again.  "Marian, meet Bianca.  Yes, that Bianca.  Bianca; Marian Tethras."

"So I saw.  Where does that leave us, Varric?"  Bianca asked, bluntly, as she glared at the human over Varric's shoulder.

Varric groaned.  "Bianca, where do you think this leaves us?  How did you get in here, anyway?"

"Your Ambassador Montilyet sent me an invitation."  Bianca pulled it out and smirked.  "And I don't see why we can't continue as we have.  You can have your human, and sometimes, I can have you."

"No." Hawke and Varric said, simultaneously. 

"Excuse me?" Bianca asked.  It was obvious to Varric that she'd thought she'd had the upper hand.  Maybe she'd thought she was springing all of this on Hawke by surprise.  Varric had already talked to Hawke about his past, and more recently about Bianca.

"No.". Hawke said.  "N-O.  I don't share, and I won't share.  If you have a problem with that, then you can go through me to get to him.  He's my husband, and the father of my child."

"You're what?!" Bianca asked, surprised, but quickly covered it.  "So that's why you married her."

"No, Bianca.  I married her because I love her.  You left me at the alter fifteen years ago.  Too bad I let you string me along all that time, but its over.  Its time to let it go.  To let me go."  Varric said to her.  "Didn't you get my letter?"

"Yes, but I didn't believe it."

"Well, believe it this time.  Varric isn't coming back."  Hawke said.  "Now, the way I see it, you can have a nice meal and celebrate our happiness, or you can leave.  Either way, I don't want to see you here after tomorrow morning."  

Bianca glared at the human in front of her, thinking about her options.  

"This is a limited time offer."  Hawke said.

"I'm going.  Don't count on me helping you the next time you need something, Varric."

"I won't.  I have everything I need here."  Varric answered, putting an arm around Hawke's waist.  They watched the dwarf walk away and walk down the stairs towards the crowd of guests.  He noticed Bull watching them and Varric pointed to Bianca and then the entrance to Skyhold.  Bull nodded and moved through the crowd to follow Bianca and make sure she left.

"Now, what was all that?" Hawke asked.

"It's nothing, now.  I should have seen that it was 'nothing' years ago, but I was blind.   She strung me along for all those years, it just...  It got comfortable.  She'd toss me a bone sometimes, and it was just enough to make me happy and keep me waiting.  She got married to some smith, and eventually I realized I didn't like keeping my life on hold like that.  Really, I realized when I was holding you while Ander's was healing that wound the Arishok gave you.  I was watching you bleed, and I was sure you were bleeding out.  I was sure that you were going to die and I could feel my heart shredding.  Then you didn't die, and I felt like the sun was coming out for the first time.  I saw a lot of things I hadn't seen before, or had refused to.  I realized that I had let Bianca control me, and I realized that I you weren't my best friend anymore.  You were my heart.  I'm not whole when I'm not with you.  I was a shadow then and before Adamant I was just afraid.  Now... now I stand in the light, fully.  I love you, you complete me."  Varric took both of her hands in his, watching her face.  

Hawke sighed, "I love you too Varric."  She wiped a way tears, but they continued to stream down her face.  "I refuse to let her ruin our wedding day."  She leaned down and kissed him deeply, but quickly.  It was a far cry from the heated kisses she'd given him moments earlier.  Then she led him down to the crowd.  "I'm hungry.  I think I need to feed the nug."

Varric laughed and led his wife towards the table set aside for them. Like a king and queen, they were catered to and waited on.  They ate, danced, had numerous toasts made in their honor and made merry and watched those around them celebrate.  The only ones not participating were the on duty guards, which Cullen had set aside a rotation shorter than normal so that all could participate at some point, so long as you didn't drink before being on duty.  It really was a time for celebration, and residents of Skyhold forgot their cares for one day.  Forgot the war, forgot Corypheus. 

Varric watched everything with amusement and happiness.  He still felt a weight on his shoulders that tomorrow would be back to the war and the planning.  He still felt like that was his fault, or the fault of those closest to him, but now he felt that there was an end.  Somehow they were going to get to the light at the end of this.  Now that he had Hawke firmly at his side, he knew he could get there.

"Did you see our Seeker?" Hawke leaned into him to murmur in his ear, pulling him back to the present.

"What happened?"

"She just left the party.  With somebody." Hawke was obviously pleased she'd spotted something he hadn't.

Varric searched the crowd, looking for the Seeker's dark head, before he finally spotted it, and he had to look again to make sure he saw what he thought he was seeing.  "Is that?"  He asked while watching the dark head of the Seeker slipping along the battlements behind a blonde head.

Hawke grinned.  "Yep.  Seems like somebody's trying to be sneaky about it too, but not very well."

"Well, neither the Seeker or Curly are rouges, its not exactly their forte."  Varric watched the pair slip into Cullen's office tower.  He felt Hawke lean into him again.  He leaned into her to hear what she was going to say and was surprised to feel her tongue slide along the shell of his ear.  Varric felt his breath stutter, before he turned his head to take her lips in his.  After a moment, he murmured against her mouth, "You ready to go to bed?"

"Mhmm" Hawke hummed in response.

Varric leaned back and smiled at her, lost in her eyes for a moment.  He stood then and took her hand in his, pulling her to her feet.  He led her towards the stairs to the keep, and it didn't take long for the revelers to realize where they were going.  They took the cheering, the jeering and the whistles in good nature before disappearing into the keep.  They made it to their room, where Varric locked the door and fought the urge to stuff a chair under the door handle.  "We might want to take a look around.  I wouldn't put it past Sera to have loosened the screws in the bed to make it squeak or something else like that."

They searched until Varric was satisfied there was nothing in their room.  Varric smiled and indicated he'd only be a moment before heading for the water closet to quickly check it as well.  As soon as he stepped through the door, a bucket of water poured all over him, the bucket landing with a clang from the door, where it was propped, to the floor boards next to him.  The dwarf sputtered and flicked his hands.  Hawke laughed, collapsing on the bed, but as he turned her laughter died.  The white linen shirt, now sheer from the water, clung to his skin making each dip and curve of muscle over his shoulders, arms and back stand out.  The hard plains of his chest and color of his nipples stood out through the fabric, and Hawke felt herself bite her lip to keep from moaning at the sight.

Varric caught her expression as it went from mirth to desire in a heartbeat.  Slowly, he reached up and unbuttoned the rest of his shirt.  Slowly, he pealed the wet garment from his shoulders and down his arms, the whole while watching Marian's expression, saw her breath catch.  He knew she was enjoying watching him disrobe, so he made it as slow and tantalizing as he could.  He threw the dripping shirt in the tub, grabbed a towel and threw it in the puddle on the floor and turned back to her.  He toed off his boots and then lowly brought his hands to his waist to untie the sash and then untie his breeches.  His eyes never left her face, and he watched as her eyes followed his hands.  He knew when she expected him to pull down his breeches, so he didn't.  Anticipation could be a lover's greatest ally.  

He strode forward, where his wife waited half on the bed.  "You are entirely over dressed, Beautiful."  He kissed her, pulling her against him as his tongue explored her mouth.  Her hands ran up his chest and around his neck, pulling him flush against her.  Their kisses became frantic, teeth nipping at lips as Varric ran his hands behind his wife, trying to find the ties to get her out of the dress.  Almost frantic, he started to grab both sides of the dress by the ties.

"Don't you dare rip this dress Varric Tethras."  Hawke leaned back suddenly, out of his arms.  Glaring she turned around, so he could find where the ends of the ties had been tucked in.  He pulled them out and untied the dress, pulling the ribbon through the loops, baring more and more of her back to him.  He pushed the dress forward and kissed down her back.  He licked his way back up, knowing he was causing shivers as he went.  Wrapping his arms around her, under the front of her dress, he pulled her back against him, pulling her bottom into his groin so she could feel how hard he was for her.  He groaned as he pushed his cock against her, feeling her cheeks cradle him.  

Hawke let the dress fall from her arms and spun around in his arms.  She stood up straight and pulled him against her, his face dropped to kiss across the top of her chest.  Varric pushed her back against the bed, pushing her down.  As she laid back he crawled on top of her, lapping at her breast.  She let out soft mewling noises of frustration before he latched down on her nipple, suck her stiffly into his mouth.  He delighted in the deep moans that now left her parted lips.  

Leaning back, Varric watched her as he traced his fingers down her body, watched her muscles twitch as he stroked her skin, closer to the apex of her thighs.  Reaching her pussy, he dipped his fingers between her lips, pleased to find her soaking for him already.  He felt his cock twitch, and he pulled his fingers from her, to stroke down her thigh.  He enjoyed the growl of frustration she made that turned into a moan as he once again leaned forward and took her nipple into his mouth.  He gave it one tug before he released it and moved down her body. 

He lifted each of her legs and placed the feet on the edge of the bed before running his hands back down the insides of her thighs.  Varric used his thumbs to pull apart her lips so he could see her.  Without warning he leaned forward and sucked her clit into his mouth, just as he drove two fingers into her tight, wet tunnel.  The cry Hawke gave went straight to his groin.  As he pumped his fingers inside of her, he pushed his other hand against his heavy cock, trying to relieve some of the pressure.  He changed the pressure on her slightly, nibbling as he pumped his hand, pushing Hawke closer and closer to the precipice.   He pulled down his breeches with one hand and once he was sure she was there, about to leap, he left her.  

"Varric, please don't stop." Hawke cried.

"Never." Varric growled, before driving himself into her.  Hawke cried out as he hammered himself inside her.  He grinned as he watched her arch her back and scream, her muscles clenching around him.  He slowed, gently pushing himself in and out of her while she rode out her orgasm.  As soon as her muscles relaxed again, he gripped her legs and picked up his pace again.  With each breath, which each thrust, his breath came out in a grunt which blended with her breathy moans and cries. 

Feeling himself getting close, he placed his thumb on her clit, rubbing her with each thrust.  He felt her quiver again.  "Are you going to cum for me, Marian?  Cum for me again, baby."  Varric growled.  

Suddenly she arched her back again, screaming his name and clenching around him once more.  Varric grabbed her hips and pounded himself into her.  He felt his balls tighten and he roared as he emptied himself into her.  Varric partially calapsed, leaning over her as he stood at the edge of the bed.  When he felt himself soften he slipped out of her and pulled himself up on the bed.  He put his arms under her shoulders and pulled her unresisting body up along side his, curling her against him.  Varric reached down and haphazardly pulled the blankets over them before collapsing next to her.

"I love you, Varric Tethras." Marian murmured sleepily.

"I love you too, Marian Tethras."  He said against her neck as she pillowed her head on his arm.  He knew it was going to fall asleep soon, but he couldn't bring himself to pull it out from under her.  "Good night, Beautiful."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to DietCokeofEvil's comment last chapter, I couldn't stop thinking about Bianca's reaction. So... there it was. Thoughts?
> 
> Also, The wet shirt scene was completely inspired by one of my favorite FanArtist... Aimo, and her drawing 'Objectified', seen here:
> 
> http://aimo.deviantart.com/art/Varric-Objectified-352230820


	10. Baby Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long. I got a bit of writer's block and had to rewrite it a couple of times.

Life in Skyhold returned quickly to normal.  As normal as the main base to any side in a war could be.  Troops were moved, missions were completed.  Corwyn found herself walking through the Great Hall following a meeting with her war council, with the addition of Morigan, who had been sent to them by Empress Celene.  She wasn't sure what to make of the mage yet, but there seemed to be some bad blood between her and Liliana.  Just as she was about to leave the Hall for some sparing she heard her name called.  

"Varric?  How's it going?  I haven't seen you in a while."  Corwyn paused laughing.  She hadn't seen the dwarf because she had refused to take him on any missions, allowing him some time off with his new bride.

"I heard you're leaving on a mission tomorrow.  I want to come with you."

Corwyn raised an eyebrow.  "I thought Hawke said she wanted to go to Val Royeaux to go shopping for the baby.  You don't want to go with her when she spends your money?"

"No, I don't.  I don't want to go to Val Royeaux.  I want her to go shopping in Kirkwall." Varric almost growled the last part.

"Why Kirkwall?  That's a long way to ship furniture.  Or are you going to have Blackwall build the furniture here?"

"No, I don't want Hero to make it.  And Kirkwall isn't so far to ship, if you live there."

"Are you leaving us, then?" Corwyn hoped she hid her disappointment.  She really like the dwarf, and she'd grown to be really close to his wife.

"Too much to do here.  I want her to go home, be where its safe."

Corwyn's lips formed into an 'O' as the crux of the situation presented itself.  Varric wanted to send Hawke away to where it was safe, she didn't want to go.  The Inquisitor could see both sides to this coin easily, but she wasn't sure if she should offer any advice as it was a family issue.  "Is it really any safer?  I mean, she's a mage, and its Kirkwall.  I know she's the Champion, but I thought she left because it was dangerous to stay."

Varric sighed and gave her an irritated look before throwing his hands up at her and stalking out of the keep.  Corwyn watched him go, surprised at the dwarf's actions.  

"Trouble in paradise?" Bull asked as he walked up behind her.  "Let me guess.  Varric wants her to go home.  She wants to stay."

"That about sums it up.  He talk to you about it already?"

"Na.  Ben-Hassrath, remember?  Its pretty much the only thing they would be arguing about.  Besides baby names, and I can't imagine it getting that heated over baby names."

"So, what do you think?"

"About them?  Well, they're both right, if what you just said was her argument.  Kirkwall is probably still unstable to mages, even the Champion...  Especially the Champion.  Her friend started that whole mess, right?  And he's right.  This is a military base, and it could come under attack any time.  But this isn't Haven.  Its more defenseable, strategically defenseable.  I can tell you, I wouldn't want to lead a charge up the side of an icy mountain, even with our trail up here.  The only thing that would be dicey is a traditional siege.  We could hole up for months, if we had the supplies, but it won't come to that."

"Why?" Corwyn asked, intrigued.  She knew that Cullen and Bull both found this place superior to Haven in many ways, but hadn't really understood why.  

"For the same reason I wouldn't lead a charge.  It gets warm here, sure, but never enough to melt all the snow.  Think about holding a siege down below the tree line, in the shade.  It would be freezing, while we sat up here nice and warm in our rooms.  Their troops would lose heart too quickly.  And Corypheus doesn't use siege mentality.  Its not a strategy he would use.  So, long siege:  Not likely.  We're more likely to be attacked, but we're safe enough here."

"So you'd let her stay."

"Sure, but she's not my wife.  She's not pregnant with my child.  I can honestly say that if I had those emotions involved," he gestured in the direction Varric had gone, "I may think differently.  I've never been in that situation, so I don't know how I'd react for certain."  He gave her a look.

The elf smiled sweetly.  Although she'd wondered what a elvhen, kossith half breed might look like since starting her relationship with Bull, she'd been religiously taking the herbs in her tea to prevent it.  Now was not the time.  She reminded Bull about the tea, which caused a sigh of relief.

He pulled her in for a hug and murmured in her ear, "Not that I wouldn't want that someday, just not now.  I don't want that worry right now.  I don't envy Varric that."  He gave her one final squeeze and then said in a louder voice, "I'll go see if I can talk some logic into him.  You go talk to Hawke."

Corwyn watched him go, smiling to herself.  Someday, if it was possible.  If they all survived this.  She turned to go up the stairs to Varric's room and knocked on the door.  She heard a muffled and watery 'Enter' before pushing open the door.  

"I knew it wasn't that dwarven bastard, sorry Isla.  He wants to send me away!" Hawke growled, then burst into tears.  "For my own safety, or good, depending on the argument." She sobbed.  

Corwyn put her arms around the pregnant woman and let her cry it out.  Hawke's stomach had gotten bigger in the month since the wedding.  She wasn't huge yet, but you could tell there was something going on there.  Corywn pushed her over to the bed where they both sat down.  Once Hawke had stopped crying and was reduced to hiccups, Corwyn got up and poured her a cup a water, bringing it back.

Hawke accepted the cup, gratefully.  "Thank y(hick)ou.  Ugh.  I think that was mo(hick)stly, ugh, the baby.  I'm either (hick) ugh, crying at the drop of a hat, or (hick) ugh, pissed off for no reason. (Hick) Ugh" 

"Drink" Corwyn glared, until Hawke took a gulp.  "Bull is talking to him.  Lets talk about something else.  Baby names.  Have you guys talked about them yet?"

Hawke shook her head, surprised.  

"What was that name you said when you called Varric a bastard?"  

"Isla, his mother.  I never met her, but he loved her, even if she wasn't a great mother.  I don't know if he'd want to name a daughter that, but I hadn't thought about it."

"What about Leandra?  Or Bethany?" Corwyn asked.  

Hawke gave her a look.  "Read Varric's book, huh?  No, I don't know if I could handle that yet.  Maybe if we have more.  And don't even say 'Bartrand' for a boy.  Varric might shoot you.  Shit, I might shoot you."

Corwyn laughed.  "So, then...  what do you think?"

 

~*~

 

Bull found Varric sitting in a corner of the Herald's Rest.  It was the first place he'd looked, and was fairly certain he wouldn't have to look any further than there.  He ordered himself a drink from Cabot before sitting down with the dejected looking dwarf.

"Hey, Tiny.  Corwyn send you to find me?"

"Nope."

"Hawke?"

"No."

"Oh."  If anything, Varric looked a little more upset.  "What do you need then?"

"A drink." Bull said, sipping.  He knew, if Varric wanted to talk about it, he would when he was ready.  Guys didn't talk about feelings, or relationships, without cause.  They talked about fucking wenches, but not the women they loved.  

They sat that way for a while, watching people come in and out.  Listening to Maryden sing the same old songs.  Finally, after she'd song her song about 'Enchanters', Varric sighed and turned to Bull.  "You know what happened.  What we're arguing about."

The kossith sipped his ale, "Mhm"

Varric sighed again and scrubbed his face with his hand.  "What do you think?"

"I'd keep her here, where I would be able to keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble.  Where I could sit back and watch her get fat."

Varric choked on his ale.  "Don't let her hear you say she's fat, unless you want to really earn the name 'Tiny'.  It'd be disappointing for Corwyn too."

Bull chuckled.  

"Why here, Tiny.  Why not Kirkwall?"

Bull gave it a few minutes, pretended he was thinking, before explaining everything he had said to Corwyn.  Varric sat and listened, thinking.  He continued to think after Bull had stopped talking.  It was a few songs later before Varric finally sighed again.  The Iron Bull allowed himself a small, secret smile.  "You made the right choice, Varric.  If you want, bring that elf back to help you watch over her when you're not here."

"Which one?  The broody one with the sword, or the tattooed one with the blood magic?"

"Well, both would be fun, but I was thinking Broody.  You might be opening Merril up to too much questioning with the 'blood mage' thing.  And Hawke might get some backlash by association."

"True.  Very True.  You're a better spy than I gave you credit for, Tiny."

"You sure I'm not more secretly a spy now?"

"I think you finally decided whether you care about your people, or your  _people_.

"Hmmm. Something like that."  

Varric stood and downed the last of his ale.  "You made the right choice, Tal-Vashoth." He said before he turned and left the tavern.  

Bull watched him go, wondering if the dwarf knew just how much those words meant to him.  He probably did.  Varric was easily as observant as he was, when the dwarf chose to be.  Bull finished his ale and ordered another from a passing barmaid before gesturing at Krem.  His Tevinter second came over, "What is it, Chief?"

"Sit down, Crem-da-la-Crem.  Lets play some diamond back."

 

~*~

 

Varric pushed open the door to his room to the musical laughter of his wife and the Inquisitor.  He watched them a moment before they saw him. He couldn't tell what they found so amusing, but he knew when Corywn spotted him.  She allowed herself to slow her laughter into chuckles before saying, "I think I need to go now.  I'm overdue to spar with Cole.  We decided that I needed to learn another weapon in case our position is overrun."

"That's why Bianca has a bayonet.  And I always have knives on me."  Varric pointed out.  Hawke stiffened slightly when she heard his voice.  He watched as the two women hugged each other before the Inquisitor got up and left.  Varric held the door open for her before closing it behind her.

"I'm still not going, Varric." Hawke said without turning around.

"I know, baby.  I know."  Varric went over to her and sat on the bed behind her, pulling her into his arms and settling her between his legs as he reclined into the pillows.  "I'm just worried something is going to happen, is all."  He kissed the side of her head.

"I know, honey."  She melted against his chest, snuggling into him.  

"Do you want me to bring Broody back to watch you when I'm not here?" 

"That's up to you, Varric.  I think I'm plenty well protected here, but if you would feel better having him here, then do it."  Hawke said.  

They sat in silence for a while, just touching.  Finally Varric asked, "What was so funny?"

"Hmm?"

"When I first came in, what was so funny?"

Hawke chuckled.  "After I cried myself out on Corwyn, we started talking about baby names.  It ended up being the worst baby names we could come up with."

"What was the winner?"  Varric asked, a few names popping into his head.

"Well, 'Meredith' or 'Gilda' for a girl, 'Orsino, or 'Bhelan'.  They really weren't even good."  Hawke sat still in his arms for a moment.  "Your eyes are boring into the back of my head, Varric.  I can feel them."

Varric blinked a moment more down at his wife's head.  "You weren't really considering any of those, where you?"

"No, Shit no."

There was more silence before Varric asked, "What do you think?"

"About what?  Names?"

"Yea.  I'm shit with names.  Look at what I named my crossbow."

Hawke shrugged.  "I hadn't thought about it until Corwyn said something, and we hadn't talked about it."

"We're talking about it now..."

Hawke thought a bit.  "I actually like 'Corwyn' for a girl."

"I have a feeling once this is all over, there's going to be a lot of girls named that in the next few years."

"Probably.  But how many are going to be able to call the real one 'Auntie'?"

"True.  I'm surprised you didn't suggest 'Bethany'."

"Corwyn mentioned it too.  I don't know.  Could you have a daughter named 'Isla'?"

"No...  I think it would feel weird."

"Exactly.  What are your thoughts for a boy?" Hawke asked, turning a little in his arms, resting on her side, her hand idly playing with his chest hair.

"I don't know.  Not Bartrand."  

Hawke snorted, "That's a given.  I wondered what you thought about 'Cullen', or 'Garen'."

"Curly's a nice guy.  He'd probably be embarrassed.  Garen, though.  As in my ancestor..."

"Yea.  I remember how choked up you got in the deep roads when we found Tethras' body.  I know you're normally not a 'traditional dwarf' but I like the sound of it."

Varric thought about it, rolling it around on his mental tongue.  "Let me think on it a bit."

They lapsed into silence, both thinking about their own things.  Varric continued to rub his hand up and down her back, stroking her.  After a while he noticed that her hand on his chest had been still for a while.  He brought it up to his lips and kissed it before easing her more to the side so he could slip out from under her.  He pulled the blanket up over his sleeping wife before kissing her forehead and slipping out the door.  He went down to his table to finish the correspondence he hadn't gotten to that day, and order a dinner to be brought up later.  A nice, quiet dinner with his wife seemed like the perfect thing. He also needed to tell Corwyn he didn't want to go with her on her next mission anymore, but maybe he'd like to go on the one after that while his wife went to Val Royeaux to get things for the baby.  He knew he didn't want to look at frilly, cutsie little baby things.

 

~*~

 

Varric placed his gloved hand on Hawke's thigh, and stood in his stirrups.  She leaned down, steering her horse closer to his pony, and placed a kiss on his lips.  Ahead of them, Corwyn and Bull were doing the same, without the standing in the stirrups part.  They were approaching a cross roads; one direction would wind South towards the Emerald Graves.  The other would eventually swing Northward and towards Val Royeaux.  The group split in two, each taking a fork.

Varric watched his wife as she rode away, before the last turn she paused and turned.  He could barely see her smile as she blew a kiss at him before disappearing with The Iron Bull, Sera and Blackwall.  He sighed deeply before kicking his pony into a trot to catch up to Corwyn, Dorian and Cassandra.

"You could still catch up to her." The Inquisitor said as he caught up. 

"Don't tempt me."  Varric huffed.  He knew he could spend the time away from his wife, its not like he had been without her for most of a year before she'd come to Skyhold.  _But, back then she hadn't been his wife_ , a small voice told him in the back of his mind.  _Its not like she hadn't gone on missions with out him._ But after they'd become closer friends, they didn't go anywhere without the other.  'Ugh, face it Tethras, you're attached at the hip.' He thought to himself and the voices.  _So turn around!_   No, she'll be fine.  Bull knows better than to let something happen.  _You'll be guilty as hell if something did happen._ So will Bull.  'Andraste's ass, shutup!'  He thought at himself and the voices, while wondering if this was a sign that he was losing his mind.  _You must be, you're leaving your wife behind to go to a place named for graves with trees bigger around than your pony._

 

Hawke turned to look behind them again, even though she knew she wouldn't be able to see Varric, and hadn't for some time.  As she turned forward again, Iron Bull caught her eye.  Smirking, he shook his head at her, his horns swinging back and forth.  She sighed.  There were only a few times since she'd met Varric all those years ago that they hadn't been together for a fight or to travel, and those times had been before their deep roads trip, and when she had been in hiding from the Seekers. 

"He'll be fine."  Bull said.

"I know.  I've had him beside me for so long, it's strange to not have him with me.  Like I'm missing a part of me."

"I understand.  This is the first time Corwyn hasn't brought me with her.  It has me on edge.  Aside from how I feel about her, I was hired as her front line body guard, and I've gone out with her on every mission since then.  It will be strange, but I think that's why she sent Sera with us.  I'm too used to having an archer with me now."  Bull grinned the last part at Sera, who was listening.

"Don't get too into that thought, yea?  I'll watch your back, but keep away from me for the slap and tickle."  Sera said while Bull grinned.

After a few moments of silence, Bull called out, "Hey Furrows!"

Blackwall turned in his saddle to look back, "What, me?"

"Yes, Furrows between the eyes.  Moping.  Lost in your own issues." Bull didn't hide his grin.

"Can't a man think without being judged for it?" Blackwall turned back around in the saddle.

"I'm not judging. I was gonna say you're pretty good at it. I can't pull that off"

"A tragedy, for sure." Blackwall grumbled.

"And I mean, if you're going to brood, you might as well reap the benefits." Bull threw out. 

"What benefits?"  The pseudo-Warden asked, in spite of himself.

"The _Ladies._ "  Bull allowed his voice to drop a few octaves.  Blackwall shook his head and sighed before he kicked his horse into a trot.

The Iron Bull chuckled and then sat back to simply observe for a while.

Hours later they found a copse of trees to set up camp.  Hawke and Sera got into a yelling match about who was going to take watch, when Hawke realized that her three companions had no intention of letting her sit a watch.  The mage gave in when they threatened to tie her up for the night, but they allowed her to set wards around the camp.

Three days later, they arrived in Val Royeaux.  Varric had made reservations for them, and they found Fenris waiting for them in the suite.  Hawke took them shopping the next morning and was surprised to find Sera an eager guide.  The Red Jenny had spent some time in the Capitol city of Orlais in the past, and was happy to show Hawke to shops that, not only treated their workers well, but also was honest about their products and shipments.  Hawke was also happy to find that with Blackwall along, he was able to help her decide on furniture that would be made and what he could make cheaper, or better quality.  Overall, Hawke felt the trip was worth while and fun.  The only thing she seemed to have a problem with was her name. 

Most people in Orlais knew Varric's name due to his writing.  The same number knew of the Champion of Kirkwall, and mostly due to Varric's book.  Many people knew Varric for a dwarf, and many people refused to acknowledge her if she introduced herself as 'Tethras'.  It had gotten so bad that she introduced herself as Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall.  Prejudice regarding mixed couples was not something Sera had anticipated, but apparently was keeping track of.  She wrapped up her shopping quickly and before long the group of five was on the road to Skyhold.

"I still can't believe the way they treated me when I said I was Varric's wife." Hawke said as she rode next to Fenris.

"We've been in plenty of places, in Kirkwall, that treated us differently, Hawke."

"Elves, yes."  She smiled apologetically to him.  "I guess I never saw how a mixed couple was treated.  The alienages are bad enough." 

Fenris didn't answer.  There was really nothing he could say. 

Several days later they rode through the gates of Skyhold.  Hawke walked herself up to her quarters and started to put away a few of the purchases she'd brought with her, the rest to be delivered over the next several weeks.  She was just about done when she heard a knock at her door.  Folding a baby blanket, she called for her guest to enter.  It was Fenris and he was still holding his pack.

"The room that Isabela and I shared at the Herald's Rest has been rented."

"Well, you can stay here for now, until Varric gets home.  I don't think he'd appreciate afterwards."

"I do not wish to burden you."

Hawke smiled and pulled the reluctant elf in for a hug.  "You're my friend, Fenris.  It will never be a burden.

"It shouldn't be."  A voice from the door said.  Both of them turned to see Josephine in the doorway.

"What can I do for you, Ambassador?"  Hawke asked.

"I believe, it is more important to know what I can do for you.  Varric put in a requisition for new quarters a few weeks ago.  While you were both gone, I had the rooms in the tower next to Cullen's, over the stables, cleaned and furnished, and they are ready for you.  However,"  Josephine paused and glanced at a page on her board.  "I was not anticipating you may want to move there tonight, or that your friend might want to sleep there tonight, so no fire has been laid.  It will take a while to warm up after one is laid.

A little overwhelmed, Hawke looked at Fenris who shrugged.  "We can stay here tonight, and we'll start moving our stuff over tomorrow.  "

Looking slightly relieved, Josephine smiled and handed her a couple of keys.  "That will do well.  What time would you like me to send a number of servants to you to help you move?"

"After breakfast?"  Hawke sounded a little faint. 

"Very good.  Please let me know if there is a problem."  Josephine bowed herself out, leaving both Fenris and Hawke looking at each other.  Amused green staring at shocked blue. 

"Well, shall we go look at the rooms and then get our dinner?" Fenris asked.  Hawke nodded, somewhat numbly.  She grabbed her cloak and followed Fenris down the stairs and out of the keep. 

When they reached her new door she produced her keys and turned the lock.  It was already dark as beyond, so Hawke lit a pair of mage lights and sent one to follow Fenris as she looked around herself.  There was a large master bedroom, with a large bed, two wardrobes, weapons racks and a space for a cradle later.  It had its own bathing room.  Below, there was also a sitting room and another bedroom off of it, with a bathing room in between.  It was perfect with Fenris staying with them.  It was also far enough from Herald's rest that none of the noise from the tavern would keep her awake.  The horses both she and Varric could learn to tolerate.  The next day the move went smoothly, she even had Varric's table in the Great Hall cleared and arranged on the desk in their sitting room.  Hawke just had to get used to going to the new rooms to go to bed.

One evening, just as she feared, she had headed to the wrong room.  She had left Fenris down in Herald's Rest, enjoying the company of the Iron Bull.  They were discussing the Fog Warriors, or Mist Warriors or some such.  Hawke had insisted that Fenris stay, that she could find her way to her bed on her own.  As tired as she was, her habit of walking up to the keep had led her feet there, instead of up the stairs to the battlements.  When she realized where she was headed, she went around the stair to the keep and walked under them and down the stairs to the courtyard.  Her head down, she barely noticed who she passed.

"Hawke?" Someone asked.

She turned, looking up at a man in Templar armor.  "Yes?"

"I heard you were here!  You're the reason this whole thing started!  My sister is Dead because of you!!!"  He started out speaking, but his voice quickly rose to a rage filled bellow.

Hawke stumbled back a few steps as the man advanced towards her, "You mages!  You think you have the power to do what ever you want.  You blew up the chantry!  My sister was in that chantry!!!  You killed her!"

"I'm sorry.  I..."

"Sorry won't fix what you did!  She's GONE!!"  The Templar pulled his sword.

Hawke reached for her staff, but it wasn't there.  She almost never carried it on her when she was in Skyhold.  There had neve been a reason.  She prayed to Andraste, and called her stone flesh armor spell and was relieved when it appeared.  "I don't want to hurt you.  I didn't do what you say, and I don't want to hurt you."  She tried to sound calm, soothing.  She barely registered the sounds of distant shouting.

Letting out an unholy battle scream, the Templar raised his sword and charged.  Continuing to pray that her spells had enough focus without her staff, she fade stepped out of the way of the Templar.  She turned and called ice to lock the templar's feet in place, but he saw the spell coming and deflected it with his shield.  "You killed all those people.  You will die for what you have done, mage."  The Templar slowly advanced.

Suddenly, once he was in range, he smited her.  She should have seen it coming, but she felt all her mana drain from her and her armor dissipate.  Realizing she was vunerable, that her baby was vulnerable, she turned to run up the stairs back towards the Herald's Rest.  Before she had taken more than a few steps, the Templar brought the pommel of his sword across the back of her head.  Hawke collapsed and slid to stop at the first step.  She heard a roaring in her ears as she slowly rolled over, groaning.  

"Now, mage...  Now this ends."  The Templar grasped the sword hilt in both hands, raising it above his head.  Just as he was about to bring it down Fenris stepped over Hawke, his lyrium aglow.  He thrust his hand into the man's chest, growling in rage, just as a spray of blood hit the elf in the face.  Hawke watched it all in slow motion and screamed, thinking the blood was Fenris'. 

"You have made the last mistake of your life, Templar." Fenris said, ripping out the man's heart.  Mercifully, at that moment, Hawke blacked out.  She did not register the Templar colapsing to the side of her.  She didn't see Fenris turn and cradle her to his chest, as he cried out for the healers.

 

~*~

 

Hawke woke slowly, groaning as she felt the pain in her skull.  She put her hand to her head, feeling the knot there.

"Shhhh. Stay still, sweetheart."  

"Varric?"  Hawke groaned again.  "What are you doing here?" She whispered.

"I thought I lived here, with you.  How do you feel?" He said in a low tone, mindful of her headache.  He sat up next to her in bed.

"My brain is going to split my skull.  What happened after Fenris... Is he ok?"  She struggled to sit up a moment before the pain and Varric pushed her back down into the pillows.

"He's fine.  Wasn't even touched."

"The blood!"

"Wasn't his.  It was that templar's." Varric spat the last word like it tasted bad in his mouth.

"His sister was at the chantry, Varric."  

"I know.  The guards on the battlements heard him yelling."

"What happened?"  

"It was a hell of a welcome home, I can tell you.  Don't ever do that to me again!  I never want to come home just in time to see you go down.  Do you hear me, Marian?"  Varric allowed his fear, and a little of his rage at the Templar, to seep into his voice.  The fight had started just as they were rising the hill to approach the bridge to Skyhold.  Varric had been joking with Cassandra, but when he had looked up and distantly seen a man charging his wife with a sword, all laughter had died in his throat.  A scream had lodged in his throat as he'd seen her go down and he'd spurred his poor pony into a gallop.  As they rushed forward he'd brought Bianca to bear and carefully aimed a single bolt into the templar's neck.  It had hit just as Fenris had stepped forward to rip out the man's heart.  All of that rushed back to Varric, unwilling.  He didn't want to think about his wife in the dirt like that ever again.

"Varric, the baby..."

"Is also fine, or so the healers assure me."  Varric sighed heavily.  "Here, I was told to give this to you when you woke up.  Tomorrow morning Solas will come up and have another look."

She dutifully drank down what turned out to be elfroot potion before Varric pulled her back into him.  "You impressed Solas, by the way."

"Oh?"

"He said he'd never seen a mage cast so well without the focus of their staff.  He said it must have been your fear for the baby."

"I guess.  Or Andraste."

"I love you, Marian."  Varric gently kissed her shoulder as he hugged her again.

"I love you too Varric."

"Good, then for Andraste's sake, don't scare me like that again!  I don't think my heart could take it." He growled.


	11. Cullen and Corypheus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter. Life recently hit like a line drive to the face. Things are doing much better now. ::Hugs all!::

"I'm getting you another mabari."

Hawke turned around and looked at her husband.  "You're what?"

Varric had been watching his wife fold and put away the latest shipment of baby things that had come in.  It had been several weeks since the attack on Hawke.  Cullen had increased security, and Leliana had decided to delve deeper in her interviews of those who stayed at Skyhold.  Fenris had been so apologetic that Varric couldn't stay angry at the elf.  He had been angry at his wife for leaving with out her body guard, though.  Iron Bull had been completely right, however, he was enjoying sitting here and watching his wife get fat with his baby, but he didn't want to see her hurt doing it.  "Maybe two."

Hawke turned back to her folding.  "Why two?"

"One for you, one for the nug.  Figure you can train them both up at the same time.  This way he or she will have a friend and protector when they're old enough.

"Why not get one, and send for Beast?"

"If you want.  But I'm definetly getting you a pup to train.  I'm sure Curley could point me in a direction."  Varric sipped his wine.

"Well, if you want to do this, you don't have much more time.  The nug is due to arrive in a month and a half or so.  Beast would get here just in time.  He could help me to train a pup better than anybody."

"I'll send a letter to Carver in the morning.  See if he can do without the mutt."  Varric smiled as Hawke put away the last bit of clothing and strode towards him.  She settled into his lap, across the chair, and curled into him.  

They sat for a bit, just enjoying each other's company, before Hawke got up to go take a bath.  She had found, as she got bigger, her back felt the strain more and more, and had taken to long soaks to relax the muscles before she went to bed.  As she walked towards their bathing room, she unbuttoned her dress and let it slip from her shoulders.  She looked back, over her shoulder at her husband as she released her breast band and let it fall to the floor as well.  Varric watched, a heated look in his eyes.  She was teasing him, and he knew it.  They had both found that their coupling had gotten more and more awkward with the nug in the way.  

His other problem was one that Hawke found hilarious.  Somebody had told him a joke where a baby had been born fully able to talk.  It had thanked the healer, and its mother for the care and for bearing him.  The child had then looked at its father and, poking him in the forehead, told him that it hurt.  Ever since he'd heard that joke, Varric had been terrified of hurting his child while having sex with his wife, even though he'd been assured by Hawke and the healers that it could never happen.  

He groaned as he watched his wife bend over, somewhat awkwardly, to remove her smalls.  With the baby in the way, she had to spread her legs a bit, which exposed that much more him.  He pulled his eyes away from her ass and pussy back to her eyes, which were half lidded with desire.  

"Marian, you're killing me."  He groaned and palmed his cock through his trousers.

"So, come do something about it...  or sit there and do something about it."  She turned and walked into the bathing room.  He heard the water go on and knew that she would be adding some sweet smelling soap that bubbled and foamed.  He groaned again, thinking about his wife sliding into the hot water, bubbles clinging to her.  Before he knew what he was doing, he was discarding his clothing and following her.

 

~*~

 

Varric sealed his letter to Carver and set it aside just as the Inquisitor strode up.  Even though he had a desk in his rooms, he still enjoyed writing at his table in the keep.  He figured it was the background noise.  "What can I do for you, your Inquisitorialness?"

"I wanted to let you know that we're going to the Arbor Wilds, to the Temple of Mythal.  Corypheus is apparently interested in a 'Well of Sorrows.'  Bull and Solas are coming.  I wanted to know if you wanted to come with us."  

Varric thought for a moment.  On one hand, he really wanted to go after Corypheus.  On the other, he wanted to stay with his wife.  "When do you leave?"

"Three days."

"Let me talk to Hawke.  I'll let you know."  The Inquisitor nodded, turned and walked away.  Varric leaned back in his chair and stared at the fire.  This is why he was here.  To pay back all of Thedas for what he and Hawke had unleashed.  The only thing was, now he had a wife...  a child on the way.  It didn't matter that his wife was Hawke.  Reaching up to the table, he grasped the glass of wine that was there, before leaning back again to continue to stare at the flames.  Some time later, no answers had leapt forth from the hearth.  Varric sighed and drained his goblet.  He placed it on the table, knowing a servant would clean it up.  He gathered up his papers, the half empty bottle of wine and the letter to Carver, and walked up to Leliana's nest.  He delivered the letter to be mailed out before crossing through Solas' domain and on to Cullen's.  

Varric knocked on the Commander's door, out of curtesy before entering.  Initially, he intended to just pass through, but when he glanced up and saw the Commander sitting at his desk not really looking at anything, the dwarf moved forward pulling a chair with him.  "Care for a drink?"

An hour later, Hawke came through the Commander's office to find Varric for dinner.  She found the Commander and her husband, both obviously drunk, and laughing while somehow singing an old tavern song from Kirkwall.  She was surprised to find Varric drinking with Cullen, of all people.  They had all met at the same time in Kirkwall, but they hadn't been on exactly friendly terms with the Templar.  She had grown to like him, and feel a bit sorry for his lot in life, living under Meredith's rule as it was.  She had never thought Varric was friendly with the Night-Captain.  

"Varric?"  

The singing of the two men stumbled to a stop as they both turned guilty expressions to Hawke's face, which she knew was probably a mix of confusion, surprise and amusement.  Fenris entered behind Hawke, barely noticed.

"H-Hawke?"  Varric turned his eyes on his wife.  

"Well, this looks like a party." Fenris rumbled from behind Hawke.  

"It would be, b' we're out." Cullen slurred.

"What is going on here?"  They all turned to Cassandra at another of the three entrances to Cullen's office.

"It seems they were drinking." Hawke answered.

"We  _were_.  We ran out of the wine Varric brought AND my bottle of Antivan brandy." Cullen almost whined.  

"How much have they had?" Cassandra asked Hawke.  

"Apparently a bottle of Antivan brandy, and an indeterminate amount of wine."  Hawke answered, wryly.

Both women stared at the men, sans elf, trying to decide what to do with them.

Varric caught Hawke's eye.  "Why don't you put him to bed, hmm?"

Hawke sighed as she watched Cullen, his head on his hand, drifting off and trying to hide it.  "You two think we can get him up his ladder?  Or should we make him a pallet down here?  I dare say he needed this."

"He did indeed.  He's been... ". Cassandra sighed as she seemed to consider.  "He would not thank me for saying this, but he's stopped taking lyrium and been going through withdrawal.  It...  Hasn't been kind to him.  I have been trying to get him to seek an outlet.  To do something, anything, but stay in here.  I am... glad that Varric got him drunk."

"It seems they got each other..."

"I'm not as bad as all that, Marian.  I've always been able to handle my alcohol.  You know that." Varric smirked.  "I was on my way home, and he seemed to need it."

"Well, I thank you." Cassandra said before she looked around.  "I think we could make him a pallet, but lets get one of the cots from stores first."

Fenris turned and trotted out.  By the time he had returned with a folded cot the ladies had already tossed down the Commander's bedding.  Cassandra was coaxing Cullen out of his shirt, his furred mantle and armor already set aside.  Hawke wasted no time in making a bed on the cot.  Fenris and Cassandra lifted the Commander by his arms and half carried, half dragged the man to his makeshift bed.  Once in bed, Fenris and Hawke backed off while Cassandra got him settled.  They could hear her murmuring to him before she backed off and joined them by the door.

"Care to join us for dinner, Seeker?" Varric asked.

"Oh, I... certainly." Cassandra seemed surprised by the invitation, although Hawke was not.

"Fenris, could you go down and find the first servant you can to bring us up some dinner?  You can join us if you like after that, or go down to the tavern.  Its up to you."

"If its all the same to you, I will eat at the tavern with Krem."

"That's fine.  Just have them send something to us.  Thank you so much, Fenris!"  Hawke hugged the elf, who blushed and tried to resist.  Even though he was there to guard her steps, she tried her damnedest not to treat him as her servant. 

They parted ways, Fenris heading towards the keep while Cassandra, Hawke and Varric walked towards the Tethras quarters.  With a flourish, Varric opened the door to let the ladies enter before him.  While they seated themselves, Varric found another bottle of wine and poured them all glasses before seating himself.

"Perhaps you should eat before..." Cassandra started.

"I'm not drunk, Seeker.  I let Cullen drink most of what we had.  I was on my way here and I could see he needed to talk.  So I got him drunk and let him.  He told me about the lyrium.  He probably won't remember telling me, but he did."

"I am surprised he even allowed himself to get that way.  And with you, of all people."  Cassandra commented before sipping her wine.

"You forget, Seeker.  The three of us go way back.  Whether he admits it or not, we've known Cullen for well on, what...  Varric?  Nine years?" Hawke commented.

"Something like that.  Not that we were all drinking buddies, but we knew him.  Knew Meredith.  Bitch." Varric said.

"What was he like?  In Kirkwall?  He doesn't talk much about his life before the Inquisition."

As their dinner arrived, they settled down to a meal with Varric and Hawke taking turns telling stories about Kirkwall.  Some about the Commander, some where he only featured a minor part.  Cassandra listened while she ate, relaxing in the rooms of her favorite author and the Champion of Kirkwall.  

~*~

Two days later, Varric mounted up with the Inquisitor, Solas, and Bull.  After talking with his Hawke, they decided that he would go on this mission against Corypheus.  They both felt that the needed to be involved with Corypheus' defeat, both of them felt responsible for unleashing him upon Thedas.  As it was, Varric had to threaten Hawke with being drugged and tied down to keep her from trying to go with them.  She had reluctantly agreed that she had to stay, but kept grumbling about the changes in her body and her growing lack of agility.  

Hawke watched the group ride out, followed by a battalion of Inquisition soldiers and Bull's Chargers.  They were followed by Cullen and Josephine.  The Spymaster stood with Hawke as they watched the large group leave.  She had decided to stay, and Hawke suspected it was to keep an eye on her.  Fenris stood on her other side, trying not to cough on the dust kicked up by all the horses.  When the last has disappeared over the bridge the trio turned and walked into the keep, towards their own pursuits.  

She was sure that she was going to have to drag herself through the next month.  Cullen had assured her that it would take about two weeks to get to the Temple, a day or three to fight their way into the temple, and then two weeks to return.  The first week was she spent some time with Dorian, learning some Tevinter magical techniques, and with Sera practicing the bow with a Master.  The second week she spent a lot of time in her quarters resting and organizing the baby's things.  Knowing that her husband and her friends were going to be engaging Corypheus, with out her, had her alternately pacing and practicing the most destructive of her magics.  Working herself into a sweat, she twirled her staff, alternating between lightening and fire at her target, occasionally ice, but that was mostly to put out fires.  She was barley aware of Dorian and Fenris as they watched. 

She did notice when shouting started amongst the guards.  Several were running towards the keep, giving Hawke pause.  She grounded her staff in the ground as she came to a panting halt.  Her eyes tracked a guard, as he ran along the ramparts right over her towards the part of the wall that overlooked the gardens.  He was yelling something to another guard ahead of him, and Hawke's ears picked up something about the Inquisitor.  Her breath caught and her hand covered her mouth as she assumed the worst.  Fenris and Dorian both leapt forward to catch her before she even realized that her knees had given out. 

"Now, now, Hawke.  Its probably nothing.  No need to react like this."  Dorian tried to sooth, but from his glances to the keep, Hawke could tell he was worried too.  She felt Dorian turn her and put her in Fenris' arms before she felt him leave her.  She heard him talking with somebody before they paused.  She felt herself trembling.  There was no need for all of the excitement unless something had happened to Levallen.  If something had happened to her, one would be safe to assume that several, if not all, of her party were involved.  She didn't want to be told by some nameless scout that Varric was injured, or...  Or...   She couldn't complete the thought. 

She felt another set of arms wrap around her from behind, and Fenris let her go to them.  Assuming it was Dorian again she leaned back, taking deep even breaths to try to calm herself.  As she breathed she smelled vellum, ink and nug oil, with a hint of whiskey.  Her eyes flew open as she turned, "Varric??  Thank the Maker!" 

Hawke broke into relieved sobs as her husband pulled her back into his arms, whispering soothing words to her while she tried to tell him how scared she'd been.  Before long the tears stopped as Hawke was able to get her emotions and her hormones back under control.  She looked up at him and smiled weakly, embarrassed over her outburst, when it suddenly hit her.  "How in the Void are you home so early??  You should have another two and a half weeks!  Nothing happened to Corywn, did it?"

"It was a near thing, but we're all alright.  Corwyn may need some down time for a bit, though.  Lets get you up and we'll talk over dinner, alright?  Right now I need a good stiff drink and food." 

Hawke barely noticed Dorian taking himself off to the keep, as she followed Fenris over to the stairs by the tavern to get to their rooms.  While Varric ordered dinner, she was going to take a bath, and unless she was wrong, Varric would want one too.  She quickly washed and laid out a towel so that Varric could eat before going downstairs.  She found Fenris slowly reading a book while he patiently waited for Varric to reappear and tell them the tale of the Temple of Mythal.  Hawke groaned inwardly.  Varric must be really rubbing off on her if she was coming up with titles in her head like that.  

The trio sat and ate, allowing Varric to process whatever had just happened.  When the food dwindled, the dwarf told them about how they'd fought their way through the forest before watching Corypheus die at the hands of some ancient elven magics.  How they had watched the darkspawn magister rise again and their discovery of living elvhen, quite possibly a thousand years old.  He told them about how the elves had helped them get to the well of sorrows and how Corwyn had drunk from the well to keep the information it held from Corypheus before running through an eluvian back to skyhold.

Hawke sat back and thought about the implications of Corypheus being unable to be killed.  "That's how Larius was a mage.  And why he was so interested in the Red Lyruim."  Hawke looked up and glanced between Varric and Fenris, "I knew we killed that bastard."

Varric nodded.  "Solas thinks that he's linked his life to that dragon, somehow.  That if we kill the dragon, we can kill Corypheus."

"Sounds like we need to go dragon hunting." Fenris rumbled, speaking for the first time.

"Agreed." Hawke growled.

"I agree as well, but you're not going." Varric happily chimed in. 

"Ugh!!!"  Hawke growled, placing her hands on her oversized stomach.  "You need to come out and meet the world, Little Nug."

"You can stay right where you are, Youngster.  Its far safer in there, and you're protecting your mother by keeping her from doing anything stupid."  Varric called.

 


	12. Corypheus Falls

Hawke woke, the sun barely lightening the sky outside her window.  It would still be some hours before it finally crested over the mountains around them.  Quietly, she slipped from Varric's arms and her bed, her feet finding her slippers as she stood and donned her robe.  Even with the fire roaring at the hearth, the stones were often cold in the morning.  She went into her water closet.

After she finished her morning routine, she quietly descended the stairs and out the door to her rooms.  She paused, breathing in the crisp air and watching it puff from her mouth.  Hawke placed her hand on her stomach as she felt the muscles contract into a hard ball.  The healers had told her that this was common and did not mean that she was in labor.  That her body's as just 'practicing' prior to the main event.  She sighed, thinking about the coming weeks when her child would be born.  

 "When will you tell him that you're getting close?" 

Hawke heard Fenris behind her and turned to see him standing behind her, arms crossed, dark eyebrow raised.

"He'll know soon enough."  

"Well, you had better tell him before he is sent off on another mission with the Inquisitor."

"She returned last night, it will be a while before she goes off again."

"True.  But if you do not give birth before the next time they go out...  I do not wish to know these things about your body, or any woman's body, Hawke." 

"Are you threatening me, Fenris?  With birth?" Hawke asked, a little incredulously.

"Hawke..." Fenris growled in warning, causing her to laugh.

"C'mon.  Lets get breakfast."  She led Fenris down to the mess tents, set up in the upper courtyard.  Hawke knew Fenris felt more comfortable eating here with the Inquisition soldiers then up in the Great Hall with the nobles.  Truth to tell, Hawke felt the same way.  She didn't like listening to the nobles whisper about the former Champion of Kirkwall.  They both set up their plates from the kitchen and Hawke ignored Fenris' look at her scant breakfast.  They found seats at a table and sat, not looking up when two more people sat across from them.

"Mind company?" Bull asked as he sat, Krem beside him.  "Where's Varric?"

"Asleep, last I saw him, but by now..."

"By now he's sitting beside you to have his breakfast.  Do you really think you can sneak out on me?" Varric sat beside his wife.  "Which one of us is the better sneak?"

"Yes Varric..." Hawke chuckled.  "Where's Corwyn?" She asked Bull.

"War Council.  Early session.  She wants me to save her some breakfast." 

"C'mon, Tiny.  Did she really think there'd be anything left after you were finished?  And if Hero or Buttercup come up, that's it!" Varric laughed as Iron Bull just shook his head at the dwarf.

"How did it go back at the Temple?" Varric asked, turning serious.

The Iron Bull sighed deeply.  "Well, you know how we got home from there the first time, how Corwyn drank from the Well.  Apparently that makes her a thrall to Mythal, who is apparently real and also goes by the name of Flemeth."

Varric and Hawke glanced at each other and sat up straighter.  "Older woman?  Had her hair back like dragon's horns? Hell, could change into a dragon?" Hawke asked.

"Dunno.  I didn't see her.  Corwyn sent Dorian, Cass and I to scout the entrance to the shrine while she and Morrigan performed their ritual."  Bull growled the last.  His dislike of all things related to spirits, demons and Gods well known.  "All I know is that now this Flemeth or Mythal or whatever can control Corwyn, if she wishes.  And that now Corwyn can call a dragon to fight against Corypheus and his dragon."

The group sat and mulled over the significance of the information that Bull had just shared.  At least this new development put them on equal footing, at least in regards to the dragon.  

"Well, on that note..." Hawke got up from the table and picked up her plate with her half eaten meal.  She carried it over to the dishwashers and moved out of the tent.  She paused just outside the tent, unsure of what she wanted to do for the day.  She didn't want to pester the healers again, even though she had questions.  

As she stood there trying to decide what to do with her day, clouds began to gather over her head.  Cocking her head, she watched as a bolt of green lightening shot up towards the center of the swirling clouds.  As it hit, it exploded into brilliant green light, ripping the skies open once more.  As the sound reached her, the force of the sound wave threw her to the ground, bending trees and throwing dust into the air.  Screams and shouts of startled people joined the cacophony of the thunderous explosion.  

Rolling over onto her hands and knees from where the explosion had thrown her, Hawke felt herself retching, her stomach a tight knot.  Whiping her face with the back of her sleeve, she struggled to try to get to her feet before she felt hands lift her and place her upright.  More hands caught her before she collapsed as she felt her the muscles of her lower back contract into a tight knot that wrapped around to her stomach, stealing her breath.  

"Marian!  Tell me you're alright!" Varric's frantic voice was in her ear.  

"Lets get her into the Great Hall, into one of the chairs there." Bull's voice rumbled from above her, proving that the arms that were holding her up and were now scooping her up were the Kossith's.  "Krem, get Stitches and get him up here, on the double."

"Yes Chief."  

Hawke barely noticed the mercenary running off as Bull turned and carried her up the stairs to the Great Hall.  Shouts of panic from the nobles, Cullen's voice rising above the din calling for calm added to the noise level, causing a headache to start between her eyes.  Her breath hissed as she felt her back contract again and she felt Bull hold her a little tighter.  "Hawke?" He quietly rumbled at her.  She nodded and he sighed.

Cullen finally calmed the group in the Hall and Corwyn's voice could be heard calling out for her inner circle.  Hawke struggled within herself over knowing that the Inquisition was going to be riding out to go fight Corypheus, that this was going to be the last battle, and not wanting to tell her husband that she suspected she was going into labor.  She was torn between needing her husband, and needing to save the rest of the world.  She also knew she couldn't go, and if Varric knew what was going on, he'd be distracted.

"Bull, put me down." She quietly said, as they paused next to Varric's table in the Hall.  The Iron Bull did as she asked, carefully placing her on her feet before he moved towards Corwyn.  She leaned over to Varric and kissed him.  "I'll be fine... go end this.  Fenris will take care of me."

Varric's eyes flicked from Hawke to Corwyn and back.  Suddenly he pulled her down for deep kiss before releasing her, saying "I won't be long."

"Be safe, Varric.  I love you, and you better come back."

"And miss telling you all about it?" The dwarf gave her a cheeky grin before squeezing her fingers one last time and following the Inquisitor out of the Great Hall.

Stitches, the surgeon that worked with the Bull's Chargers, along with Krem, slipped inside past the exiting group.  "Krem said you fell?"

Hawke nodded as she sank into a chair, hissing with another contraction.  She felt Stitches' hands on her stomach, feeling the contraction.

"My Lady...  You're..."

"Marian, or Hawke will do.  None of that 'My Lady' bull shit.  I'm nobody's lady." Hawke grit out.  Once the pain had passed she looked into the healer's eyes.  "Wait for them to ride out.  Then we can go back to my room."  

"If we don't get you to your room..."

"It can wait." Hawke growled out.

"Hawke what is going on?" Fenris asked, his eyes glancing down to the healer's hands still on her stomach.  Suddenly the sound of ten horses galloping out of the courtyard drowned everything else out.

"Ok, lets get you up." Stitches said, pulling on one arm, lifting her until he was under that arm, while Fenris took the other.

"What is going on?" Fenris asked again, incredulity and disbelief in his voice.

"Wait!" Hawke cried, as another contraction hit her.  The nobles around taking notice, commenting to each other in speculation.  Cullen walked up, worry in his eyes.  Krem intercepted him, speaking quietly in a hushed voice, Stitches joined them.  After another moment of whispers, the trio of men turned to look at her.  The three advanced on her, Krem gestured to Fenris and they both lifted her, linking their arms under her legs, supporting her as if she was sitting in a chair.

The four men walked through the rotunda and then out across to Cullen's office.  They didn't pause once bringing her to her rooms and up to her bed, even when she cried out with a contraction on the battlements.  The men, save Krem, left her bedroom and the mercenary helped her remove her mage robes so she could don a simple shift, before placing her in bed.  

"What do you need?" Cullen urgently asked Stitches as the men came back up the stairs.

"Hot water, clean linens, needle and thread, probably."  Stitches turned to his patient.

Cullen grabbed the man's arm, turning him.  "What is wrong?"  

"Her labor is coming on too quickly.  Her contractions are too close together too fast.  We need to get her to relax and let her body do what it's supposed to do, but she really needs to relax."

"Is there a danger?"  Cullen asked.

"Isn't there always?" The surgeon retorted.  "I'm a surgeon, not a healer.  I work with a needle and thread, set bones... Not with magical healing.  If you have one to spare, send them.  We may need it them."

"Does Varric know?" Cullen asked, surprised the protective dwarf would leave his wife while she was in labor.

"I don't know if he knows, but Bull does."  Krem put in.

"I will send a mage.  As soon as they return..."

 

~*~

 

"Bull, Cassandra, Dorian; with me!  The rest of you, help those troops and keep the demons from coming up our backtrail."  Corwyn called out, turning and trusting that her companions would do as she asked.  Varric watched while the smaller group broke off before turning to take aim on a demon and letting fly.  He glanced one more time, catching sight of The Iron Bull pausing and glancing back at him before he charged up the trail behind Corwyn.  

Varric backed himself up the bottleneck of the trail, picking off demons and shades as he positioned himself in a way to block the enemy from flanking their leadership.  He found Cole a few steps down the trial from him, guarding him from being attacked while he focused on other targets.  While he sighted along Bianca's length, dropping one enemy after another, a thought in the back of his head bubbled to the surface regarding Hawke.  He wondered why Bull had paused...

"He wanted to tell you something, but there wasn't time." Cole called invisibly to him before the boy sprung from the fade, dragging both of his daggers through the back of an undead who was going for Sera's back.

"Tell me what, Cole?" Varric called out, no longer seeing the boy as he slipped back into the fade.

"He doesn't want you to know yet."  

"You can't do that, Kid!  Its not fair to the listener."

"But he's not supposed to tell yet!"

"He's not telling me, you are!" 

"Her breath comes in a little gasp as her body tightens.  Why is The Iron Bull afraid of womanly things, Varric?  I thought The Iron Bull liked women." Cole questioned from behind Varric.  The dwarf turned to find a terror demon at the boy's feet.  

Varric spun back around to the battle in front of him, looking for a target.  "A woman's body tightens... when she...  When a man...  Cole, why is Bull worried about the Inquisitor's body tightening?"  

 

~*~

 

Hawke's breathing came in gasps as she felt Fenris awkwardly wipe her face with a wet cloth.  She glanced up to him apologetically.  "Sorry, old friend.  I didn't mean for you to be sitting next to me when the nug decided to join us."

"I speculate to guess that you didn't intend for 'the nug' to be coming while everyone was off fighting Corypheus."

"No!!!" Hawke answered, crying out in a contraction.  When it passed, she continued, "That bastard better just die so they can get back here!"

Fenris offered no argument.

 

~*~

 

The group that Varric fought with, people he'd fought beside countless times, moved further up the backtrail as Inquisition soldiers filled in the gaps behind them.  They continued to back until there simply wasn't a backtrail.  It seemed as if the earth itself had lifted into the sky behind the Inquisitor.  They watched as Corypheus' dragon, and the one called by the Inqusitor, fought in the sky's above them.

"Perhaps we should move back to a safe distance, my dears.  If any of that should come falling down..." Vivienne let her warning hang.

"For once, fancy pants over here has the right of it." Sera agreed.  

As one the group backed down the trail, watching for falling debris and demons.  By the time they had joined the rest of the Inquisition's soldiers and scouts below them it seemed the demons were cleared out, and bits of the ground above them was falling off.  They had already seen the dragon of Mythal fly off, but wether it had beaten Corypheus' dragon or not they weren't sure.  Suddenly another bright green light split the night sky.  

Startled, Varric looked around, taking note that it was night.  Where had the time gone? He asked himself as he watched the earth above sink to the ground.  He cheered with the rest when they watched the Inqusitior, followed by Bull, Cassandra and Dorian, moved down the trail towards them. Varric swore they could probably hear all the way to Skyhold as the people around cheered for the Inqusitor and their lives.  Caught up in it, Varric barely noticed when Bull walked up to him.

"Why are you still here?  Didn't Cole tell you?"

"Tell me what, Tiny?" Varric grinned up to the kossith.

"I tried, but I couldn't say it right." Cole answered from his other side.

"Varric, I think Hawke's in labor." Bull said, bluntly.

"What?!  Why the hell didn't you tell me??"  Varric yelled, turning and running for a horse, any horse.


	13. And They All Lived....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion to my story...

Corypheus was dead. Finally killed for certain, and not coming back. Corwyn looked over the massed citizens of Skyhold as they celebrated. Nobles beside common soldiers... Templars with Mages.  Nobody cared who they drank with, just enjoying that they were alive to do so. Musicians were taking turns playing while people danced, occasional streaks of brightly colored sparks streaked across the sky, sent by mages relaxed enough to use their energies so frivolously. Turning from the courtyard, the Inquisitor walked into the Great Hall. It seemed that most of her inner circle had decided to celebrate here, with her advisors, the rest of Skyhold outside. Corwyn paused to watch her closest friends enjoying themselves. She was still amazed at the diversity of the people in the room. That they could all come together to fight a common cause. They didn't all like each other, but they could fight together. Corwyn couldn't remember how many times she expected to find Sera had done Vivienne in, or the other way around.

The elf walked into the hall and was stopped by revelers here and there to offer thanks or congratulations.  Corwyn made a bee-line straight to the chair that rested empty at Iron Bull's elbow, and sat down.  She was happy with the outcome of the final battle, ecstatic even, but she was also exhausted.  Now that all of Thedas could take a moment to breath, it seemed that her body was realizing just how much sleep she'd lost over the course of this.  Sensing her thoughts, Bull pulled her chair closer and put his arm around her, allowing her to lean into his side.

"Do you think Varric will forgive me?" Bull rumbled under his breath at her, watching the dwarf out of the corner of his eye.  Corwyn glanced at the strawberry blonde across the room from them.  For all that Varric seemed to be celebrating with the rest; an ale in his hand and a smile on his face, his head was in his hand. 

"Its been a rough couple of days for him.  Give it time." Corwyn murmured back before scanning the room.  Each of her companions and her advisors were scattered amongst other residents of the hold.  Even Cole seemed to be quietly enjoying himself.  The only one missing was Solas, who had disappeared right after the battle with Corypheus.  Nobody knew where he had gone, and none of Leliana's people could find even a clue of him.  It was like he had vanished into the fade.

As the night went on, people came by with tidbits to eat, or shared a drink and a story.  Many of the people who visited with her simply wanted to go home and be able to say they'd spoken to the Inquisitor, or shared a drink with her.  Corwyn recognized that, and understood that perhaps some of them needed this.  Eventually, Corwyn felt like she couldn't keep her head up.  She quietly excused herself and began walking towards her tower door.  The first to notice her leaving was Bull, of course, who hesitated just a moment before following her.  The second to notice their departure was Varric.  The story teller watched them, noticing every nuance of their body language, noticing when Bull stopped her before the door before backing her into it before they disappeared.  He smiled to himself, happy for them.

"Darkness, cramping pain and damp.  Crying out in the darkness, feeling so alone." Cole mumbled to him, making Varric jump.  He could have sworn the Kid was further in the room, closer to the throne.

Calming himself, Varric turned to the spirit boy.  "You could have just said the baby was awake, Kid."  Varric grumbled.  It was about time he left the party as well.  Having Cole around, who was so curious about the dwarf blooded child, was like having a nursemaid without having to pay her.  Varric had more insight to what the baby was thinking or feeling than any parent ever, he was sure.  Excusing himself, he finished the ale he'd been nursing and walked towards the door to the rotunda.  The guard let him pass and Varric quickly walked through the room and across to Cullen's office.  Quietly he opened the door and closed it.  He trotted through as quickly and as quietly as a rogue could, ignoring the soft sighs and low chuckles from above him, as he quietly slipped through the far door.  He crossed the battlements quickly, to his own door, and let himself in. 

Varric locked the door behind him and crossed to the fire, adding another log to keep it burning through the night, before turning to the silent stairs to his room.  He pulled on the fingers of his gloves, and pulled off his duster as he reached the top of the stairs.  The light from the flickering fire cast dancing shadows across the room, but was bright enough that he didn't need to light a candle.  Varric laid his clothes on a chair next to his weapons stand holding Bianca and a quiver of her bolts.  He sat, unlacing his boots and pulling them off before standing and divesting himself of the rest of his clothing down to his smalls before turning to the bed.

He pulled down the cover on his side before climbing in the bed.  He leaned over and stroked a finger through the thatch of black hair on Garen's head, startling the sleeping boy into suckling again at his mother's breast.  Varric smiled as he watched, a warmth he'd never known, had almost never known, settled in his chest.

He thought about that frantic ride back to Skyhold.  Maker only knew how he'd gotten into the saddle of the first horse he'd found, since it was much taller than his pony.  He honestly couldn't remember, couldn't remember his frantic ride back, only that he'd heard a roaring of hooves.  He'd been told later that some of them had tried to keep up, but couldn't with his breakneck speed.  He'd almost lamed his horse, and he felt bad about that.  He'd run up to his rooms so fast that the door had almost rebounded off the stone hard enough to hit him.  He would never forget what he'd seen. 

Fenris was standing off to one side, a small bundle in his arms that Varric had barely registered at first.  On the bed, Hawke was propped up with pillows, her eyes closed and her sweaty hair sticking up at all angles.  Blankets, some coated with blood and other fluids, were tossed on the floor.  It was the blood that had scared him most.  He heard somebody sob Hawke's name, before he had realized it was him.  Stitches, the first to see him at the entrance, walked over to him.  The surgeon explained to him what had happened, that Hawke had almost pushed the baby out before her body was ready, and her body had paid for it.  She'd lost a lot of blood and that the healer mage that was working on her was almost finished, but that it'd been a near thing.  That she'd be tired for a good while and that she'd need him to take care of the baby for her, only bringing the boy to feed and that she should stay in bed except for the necessities. 

Varric had barely registered anything besides that Hawke was alive.  He'd been startled by the instructions about feeding the baby.  He'd almost forgotten he was a father.  He stared in awe at the tiny baby that Fenris had placed in his hands.  The shock of black hair, the muddy blue eyes that stared at him.  He wondered what color they would settle into, blue like his mother or amber like his father.  They had stared at each other until he'd heard Hawke weakly call his name.  He'd gone to her then, noting that they'd changed the bed with fresh sheets and blankets.  He'd placed their son in his mother's arms before crawling up next to her and gathering them both in his arms.  He hadn't even noticed anybody else in the room as they finished cleaning up and left the new family. 

From that moment, he'd been up every time the baby cried.  He'd changed more nappies then he could remember; cleaned up more mess than he would have ever thought was possible to come from a person so small.  Fenris had helped, during the day, but mostly it had been him.  Hawke had been sleeping almost as much as Garen, worrying him even though the healers and Stitches had all assured him that it was normal after what had happened.  It still made him nervous.

As all of those fleeting memories came back to him he leaned up and kissed Hawke.  "I love you, Marian."

She leaned to him, placing a hand on his cheek and kissed him in return.  "I love you too Varric."

 

~*~

 

Several weeks later, Varric was waving farewell to Sera and Harding as they rode out.  One by one, the Inquisition's inner circle were returning to their previous lives, or attempting to.  Soon he, Marian and the baby would start making their way back up to Kirkwall.  They had already shipped several containers including clothing and gifts to be delivered in Varric's name to the Hawke estate in Hightown.  He'd also commissioned Aveline to hire a staff of trusted people to clean the place up and air it out.  The Healers had given Hawke a clean bill of health, but cautioned her to take it easy and they were scheduled to leave two days hence, with an entourage and guard made up of the Chargers.  This would keep the pace down to something that both Hawke and Garen could easily endure and gave the Chargers something to do while Bull took Corwyn off somewhere private.  It also made their convoy of wagons less appealing to bandits.

Varric began to walk up towards Herald's Rest when he heard a voice behind him.  "Fire and flames, the choking burn of smoke in my lungs.  Why again? Why?  First the damned oxmen and now the mages, Oh why?" 

"What's that, Kid?"  Varric asked, even though he knew where this thought was coming from; if not who.

"He's a guard who dreams painful dreams every night, but prays for peace and happiness every day.  He can't let it go, so he can't find the peace he wants." 

"I'm sure that's a common problem in Kirkwall right now." Varric said sorrowfully.

"I will go with you, Varric.  I want to help."  Cole sounded resolved.

"Sure thing, Kid.  Glad to have you along."  Varric smiled.  So far, with Cole, it meant that they were traveling with the Chargers, Fenris, Blackwall as far as the road to Weishaupt and Josephine; who was going to visit her family in Antiva.  It was going to be quite the journey.

When the day arrived to leave, they finished loading the last of their goods into wagons that Varric had purchased in Redcliffe.  Once they arrived at the coast and took ship with Isabella, the wagons would be resold to contacts of Varric's that were in need of replacements for lyrium shipments.  They spent a week on the road, kept to the pace of the wagons, and it was quite leisurely.  The only time they felt hung up was when they were ambushed one night by a group of bandits who probably thought they were an easy score.  They found out differently when every person in the group, including Josephine, brandished weapons in defense.  The bandits did not survive to learn their lesson. 

The Siren's Call was waiting for them when they arrived at the dock.  The Chargers helped Isabela's men load their possessions on board before Krem saluted Hawke and Varric.  "Safe journey to you, Champion, Ambassador, Varric.  The Chargers left them, taking the wagons to be delivered.  The Siren's Call set sail not five minutes later, bound for Kirkwall.  Josephine accompanied them as far as the Free Marches Port, spending the night at the Hawke/Tethras estate before boarding another ship to Antiva.  Isabella would have taken her, but felt that the Siren would be too recognizable there for pirating.

 

It was only a few months before Varric was nominated and then voted in to the office of the Vicount.  He grumbled to his wife daily about the politics and politicians, all the while his wife laughing at him for spending so much on the city that he'd been nominated.  They remained at the former Hawke, now Tethras, estate so that Varric was less accessible to the politicians.  Aveline kept a guard on the house and complained mightily when she found that the pair had slipped out unobserved to go down to the Hanged Man for a rare night of carousing. 

Garen developed his father's roguish amber eyes and his mother's mischievous streak.  He was well spoiled by all his Aunties and Uncles, never really realizing that none of them were related to him except his somber Uncle Carver.  As any young man might be, he was quite put out when his mother gave birth to his sister Corwyn.  He never did understand why he got in so much trouble for nailing her braid to the bed, even though his father and his Uncle Carver thought it was funny.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a while, I may decide to write up Hawke and Varric going to the Winter Palace for Trespasser. I need my life to settle down a bit.
> 
> I hope this conclusion works. I had a hard time writing it.


End file.
